Four persons allegedly planting a time bomb in a mosque in northwest Nigeria's Kano state have been arrested by police, a local police spokesperson said on Saturday.

State police public relations officer Rilwanu Dutse told Xinhua on phone that the suspects were apprehended around 1.30 pm local time (1230 GMT) on Friday after they abandoned the explosive, which was concealed in a polythene bag

According to him, the bomb has since been defused by bomb disposal experts.

Security has been beefed up in the area, while an investigation into the case is underway, he said.