Two suicide bombers and gunmen who opened fire on people trying to flee to safety carried out the attack during Friday prayers at one of Nigeria’s most prominent mosques, police said.

After the assailants blew themselves up in succession at the Grand Mosque in Kano, “gunmen opened fire on those who were trying to escape”, national police spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu revealed today.

He could not give the exact number of gunmen involved but they were estimated to be no fewer than 15.

Ojukwu said a mob killed four of the attackers while the rest escaped in the chaotic aftermath.