Bomb hits Nigerian capital

  1. Posted on Saturday 1 January 2011 - 09:00
    Samuel
    Image of Samuel
    Samuel Okocha, AfricaNews reporter in Lagos, Nigeria
    About 30 people were reportedly killed when a bomb exploded at a popular market where people drink and socialize inside an army barracks in Nigeria's capital territory. The bomb went off as fun seekers were celebrating on the eve of the New Year in Abuja. The latest attack came on a day President Good luck Jonathan paid a state visit to Benin Republic.
    Nigeria
    No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Nigerian President is said to be blaming the bombing on the Boko Haram, an Islamic sect that claimed responsibility for the Christmas Eve bomb blasts around the central Nigerian city of Jos and attacks on churches in parts of northern Nigeria.

    “I am deeply saddened at these events but I am sadder still, even angry, that the situation has been allowed to degenerate to this extent,” presidential aspirant, Pat Utomi said on his facebook page while expressing his sympathies to victims of the Abuja blast.

    Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Petirin called on Nigerians to be vigilant following a recent spate of bomb attacks in Africa’s most populous country "Do not allow anybody to come and leave a bag, or any kind of object, especially when he is not there," BBC quoted him as telling state TV.

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Television Authority reports another blast happened in the outskirts of the Ngerian capital. The state television named Jukoyi as the area where a second blast was heard. No further details were given.

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