Thursday, 1 May 2014

WORKERS DAY BOMB BLAST - FULL REPORT.

UPDATE 2-Suspected bomb on edge of Nigerian capital kills at least 9

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Boko Haram, which is seeking to carve out an Islamist enclave in Africa's No. 1 oil producer, had threatened further attacks after the April 14 bombing.

A Reuters photographer in a nearby hospital counted 11 charred bodies that medical staff said had been brought there from the place of the blast.

Another witness, Joe Udofia, said there was a "deafening explosion, then the area near Nyanya bridge was on fire. There were many people in the vicinity."

The latest attack is an embarrassment for Jonathan's government, which had announced a massive security operation to protect the World Economic Forum on Africa scheduled for May 7-9 in Abuja. The forum, a regional replica of the Davos, Switzerland event, brings together international leaders, policy makers, entrepreneurs and philanphropists.

Nigeria's government had announced that 6,000 soldiers and police would be deployed to protect next week's summit which is due to be attended by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, African leaders and a host of other international personalities.

The government and the military have been under intense pressure to step up security in the country following the April 14 attack and the mass abduction by suspected Boko Haram militants the same day of more than 200 teenage schoolgirls snatched from a northeastern school. Some of the girls escaped but most are still missing.

This abduction has shocked Nigeria, triggering protests in Abuja and showing up the security forces' inability to contain a ruthless anti-government insurgency whose targets also include Christian churches and civilians of all races and creeds.

The West African oil producer, which recently replaced South Africa as the continent's biggest economy through a rebasing of its GDP, faces an election 10 months away which many fear will exacerbate existing political, ethnic and religious tensions. (Reporting by Isaac Abrak, Felix Onuah, Afolabi Sotunde, and Tim Cocks; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Pascal Fletcher)



1 comment :

  1. It is not just a shame but it provés to Nigerians that we are not safe in the hands of these reckless leaders and we need to hold them accountable,youths should stand up and demand for what is rightfully ours,a safe and secure nation for us to thrive and not to be uséd by a set of imbessiles for political runs.

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