Three wounded after small bomb hits Kano pub

A small bomb made out of a drink can exploded at a bar in a mainly Christian neighbourhood in northern Nigeria, causing a stampede that left three people hurt, residents said Monday.

Islamist group Boko Haram has been blamed for scores of bombings in northern Nigeria, but one prominent resident said he believed criminals were behind Sunday night’s incident, with the aim of causing panic and stealing from shops.

Attackers hurled the homemade bomb at the open-air tavern filled with drinkers in the Sabon Gari area of the city of Kano.

“The improvised bomb in a soft drink can was hurled into the tavern at New Road by unknown persons and exploded, causing a stampede in which three people were injured and some tables and motorcycles were damaged,” said Chi Nwogu, head of the mainly Christian Igbo community in the city.

Many Nigerians from the Igbo ethnic group live in the neighbourhood.

A resident who witnessed the incident said the explosive “caused little damage to tables and some motorcycles parked by drinkers.”

Nwogu said he suspected the explosive was thrown by “hoodlums” to cause a stampede in order to steal from shops in the area. It was not immediately clear if anything was stolen.

Boko Haram has carried out scores of attacks, including coordinated bombings and shootings in Kano on January 20 that left at least 185 people dead — its bloodiest assault yet.

However, criminal groups have also carried out violence under the guise of Boko Haram.