Twin Blasts Hit Nigerian Capital, Abuja (Nyanya, Kuje), Scores Feared Dead
Two explosions rocked the Nigerian capital of Abuja on Friday night, an official of the National Emergency Management Agency said.
According to Associated Press, the explosions happened in Nyanya and Kuje, both satellite towns of Abuja, agency spokesman Ezekiel Manzo said in a statement. He said the explosions happened almost simultaneously "and have resulted in a number of deaths and injuries." He did not immediately give a death toll.
No group has claimed responsibility but the attack has attributes of others by home-grown extremist group Boko Haram. Boko Haram extremists have largely been carrying out attacks in the country's northeast but occasionally have attacked other towns.
Thisday's unconfirmed reports from rescue workers on ground at the sites of the multiple blasts in two satellite towns of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyanya and Kuje however put the number of dead so far at 14 and 32 injured, but more casualties are expected.
According to Thisday reports, the bomb blast in Nyanya which occurred almost at the same point where similar bomb went off last year killed two persons while about 12 suffered various degrees of injuries. However, the source said that the blast in Kuje which hit the area near the market and the police station recorded more casualty with about 12 dead and over 20 injured.
The source explained that one of the victims being rushed for medical treatment sustained serious injuries
The bombings suspected to have been carried out by Boko Haram terrorists occurred at about 10:30pm.
The Nigerian Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the explosions.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO), NEMA, Mr. Manzo Ezekiel, who confirmed this yesterday said casualty figures had not been fully ascertained.
Violence from Boko Haram's six-year insurgency has left nearly 20,000 people dead and 1.4 million displaced from their homes. At least 1,000 people have been killed since President Muhammadu Buhari took office earlier this year with the promise of wiping out the insurgents.
Earlier, Nigeria's army said four suicide bombers killed at least 10 people in Maiduguri, after also blaming Islamic extremists for trying to poison water sources in northeastern Nigeria.
No group has claimed responsibility for the Thursday night attack but Nigerian security forces blamed the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, which is based in the area.
Meanwhile, Nigeria's military on Thursday also accused Boko Haram of poisoning water sources in the northeastern Nigeria.
"Credible information … indicates that though no human life was lost as a result of the barbaric act of the terrorists, however, some cattle were killed after drinking water from some poisoned sources," Usman said.
Buhari said Thursday his leadership has taken the battle to the insurgents, and severely weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities. Boko Haram are being scattered and are on the run, he said.
"That they are resorting to shameless attacks on soft targets … is indicative of their cowardice and desperation," he said.
Boko Haram has been trying to carve out an Islamist state in the country's northeast since 2009, killing thousands and displacing 2.1 million people.
Since losing most of the territory it took over earlier this year, it has reverted to hitting soft targets like markets, bus stations and places of worship as well as hit-and-run attacks on villages, mainly in northeastern Borno state.
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