Nigeria blasts claim 162 lives

As many as 162 people were killed in the twin blasts that hit a market in Nigeria's central city of Jos, security agencies said.

Mohammed Abdulsalam, coordinator of the National Emergency Management Emergency (NEMA) in Nigeria's north central region, said Wednesday the casualty figures were collated after visits to Plateau Specialist Hospital and Bingham Hospital in Jos, Xinhua reported.

The blasts occurred Tuesday afternoon.

Earlier, Police Commissioner Chris Olakpe described the blasts as "terrorist activities", but refused to speculate on who might be responsible.

President Goodluck Jonathan in a statement condemned the bombings as a "tragic assault on human freedom" and described those behind these as "cruel and evil".

According to Olakpe, the first bomber came in a Fiat bus and parked at the market's central business area. The second blast happened 100 metres from the first, and was triggered in a Siena bus, Xinhua quoted the police chief as saying.

According to an earlier report, as many as 118 people were killed.- IANS