ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) – At least 39 people were killed Wednesday by two bombings in the northern city of Kaduna, according to State Police Commissioner Umar Usman Shehu.
Opposition leader and former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari appeared to be the target of the second blast in a Kaduna marketplace but he was unharmed, according to a statement from Buhari.
The death toll is expected to rise, as witnesses at both bomb sites said dozens of people were killed in each of the blasts.
The first blast appeared to target Sheik Dahiru Bauchi, who gave an annual Ramadan speech to thousands of faithful in an outdoor service. Bauchi is known for preaching against the violent extremism of Nigeria’s Islamic militants, Boko Haram.
“They were waiting for him,” said the police commissioner of the boy who threw a bomb at the sheik. “It’s when he was passing the boy headed to him.”