16 dead in attacks in northern Nigerian town: local official

KANO: Attacks on two banks and two police stations left 16 people dead Thursday in the northeastern Nigerian town of Gombi, a local official said, amid a wave of such violence blamed on Insurgents.

"Sixteen people were killed in all following attacks by gunmen on two police stations and two banks," local government chairman Ahmad Isa Hassan said.

"The attackers were armed with explosives and automatic rifles with which they attacked their targets ... For now we suspect the attackers were armed robbers."

He said those killed were seven police officers, a soldier and eight others, including bank staff and customers.

Police have so far declined comment, but a police source earlier told AFP that the state police commissioner was on his way to the town located in Adamawa state.

At the time the source was speaking, there had only been indications of one police station being attacked.

"Reports have reached the police headquarters of attacks on the police station and banks in Gombi," the source had said on condition of anonymity.

"The police commissioner is on his way to the town to assess the situation."

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011