Today In Nigerian History: 18th March

On this day in 2013, forty one (41) people died in a suicide car bombing that struck a bus station in Kano. The suicide attack was committed against Christian civilians at the Kano Bus station, all of whom were boarding the buses to go to the mostly Christian south.

The explosion came hours after another attack blamed on Boko Haram killed a teacher and injured three students in Maiduguri. The Volkswagen Golf packed with explosives and driven by three suicide bombers sped to five buses, which were being boarded by civilians, mostly Christians, to east and south Nigeria. The car hit one of the buses and exploded. After the explosion, people started evacuating from the remaining buses. A fire spread to the four remaining buses, many of which still had passengers in them.

Sources like the Vanguard claim the attack killed up to 60 people. BBC claims it was 22 and according to Reuters, the number is 25. Though the target of the attacks is not disputed, the buses were carrying mostly Christians, the main target of Boko Haram.