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At least seven killed in Nigeria car explosions
Car explosions in Nigeria have left at least seven people dead, spoiling the country’s celebrations marking 50 years of independence from the UK.
Two cars exploded outside the justice ministry in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. One of the seven victims is believed to be a police officer.
The explosions were not heard at Eagle Square, where Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan was inspecting a guard of honour at the time.
A militant group in the southern oil-rich region, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), issued a threat this morning saying it intended to bomb the event.
The group stated in its message that there was "nothing worth celebrating after 50 years of failure", and demanded a fairer distribution of the country’s oil revenues.
If Mend do emerge as those responsible for the attack, it would be the first time the group targeted the capital.
Nigeria is a major oil producer yet most of the population live in poverty.
