Indications are that Islamic insurgents in Nigeria’s core north may have found ways of outwitting security operatives working to end their murderous four-year bloody campaign in their avowed bid to Islamise the country.

This became evident late yesterday when terrorists believed to be Boko Haram members killed at least 30 persons in multiple attacks in Kano, barely 48 hours after killing at least 20 innocent persons in Borno.

Last night’s harvest of death came via blasts at The New Road and at Ibo/Enugu Street in Sabon Gari. While independent sources put the death toll at over 30, with many others injured, the police confirmed only six casualties.

Kano State Police Commissioner Musa Daura told AFP, the international news agency: “We have had some explosions in Sabon Gari this evening. I can confirm six dead and six others injured.”

Chinyere Madu, a fruit vendor, said: “There is confusion all over the place. There were four huge explosions, so huge that they shook the whole area. Everywhere is enveloped in smoke and dust.”

The attacks came two days after suspected Boko Haram members on Saturday opened fire on a vigilante group on their trail in Dawashe village, killing over 20. “The suspected sect members came armed and fired sporadic shots that killed over twenty innocent civilians,” according to Haruna Mohammed Sani, spokesman for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) set up in 1998 to combat border crimes, consists of troops from Nigeria, Chad and Niger.

The mandate of the MNJTF was recently expanded to fight Boko Haram, whose insurgency is estimated to have cost 3,600 lives since 2009, including killings by security forces.

•Photo shows scene of a previous Boko Haram attack.