A day full of tension and worries for Abuja, the capital of Nigeria after another attack. Last evening a package containing a bomb exploded in the very central Aminu Kano crescent, the street with the highest number of pubs, supermarkets, night clubs, restaurants and shops.
The detonation of the bomb (put on the side of the road next to the entrance of a shopping mall often visited by Westerners) did not kill or hurt anyone. It caused minor damage to some automobiles and the windows of the buildings surrounding the area of the explosion.
At the moment many curious people have come to the area of the exposion as well as police forces who are listening to residents and collecting cues for police investigations. A spokesperson for the police has tried to "reassure residents" inviting them "to continue with their everyday lives and not to panic" following the "low intensity" bomb explosion of yesterday evening. Local authorities assure that all measures will be taken so as to guarentee the highest levels of security in Abuja starting from "police street patrol".
Yesterday's attack is the second in Abuja in the last ten days: on 22th June a "hand-made" bomb of minor intensity was launched from a fast-driving car against one of the best known clubs of Abuja, the 'Krystal Lounge'. Even this explosion was a minor one, it did not kill or hurt anyone. There was only minor damage to some of the automobiles parked in front of the 'Krystal Lounge'. The severest attacks were those carried out starting from August 2011 against the UN headquarters: 25 people were killed, among which a 30- year old Norwegian woman.
In June 2011 the headquaders of the State Police were hit (18 people died). On New Year's Eve a bar full of military people was hit (a dozen of victims). The very first attack against the city occurred in October 2010 in Eagle Square, the main square of Abuja. Celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Independence were underway: 15 people died, President Goodluck Jonathan was unhurt.
As for risks of terrorist attacks, the American Embassy in Abuja has warned its fellow citizens against the possibilty of hostile actions against American targets in Nigeria in occasion of the celebrations of Independence Day, 4th July.
The mission of the American Embassy can be read in a statement on the Embassy's website "it informs all US citizens on the possible attacks against US plants" and obliges them "not to got to areas of worship or shopping malls in Abuja". Moreover the statement also asks US citizens "to go back to their homes by midnight".
US diplomats and US intelligence fear the actions of the Boko Haram, the Islamic terrorist group that wants to impose itself all over the country. In the last couple of days the US government has put the three main leaders of the Boko Haram on the "black" list of terrorists operating worldwide.
In the last three years at least 1,600 people have been killed in Boko Haram attacks. These attacks have targeted above all the Federal States of the north as well as Abuja. . . (AGI.it)
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