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Abuja blast hits Nigeria police headquarters Abuja 'suicide bomber' hits Nigeria police headquarters
(about 1 hour later)
A powerful explosion has hit the Nigerian police headquarters in the capital, Abuja, officials say. Two people, including a suicide bomber, have died in an explosion at Nigeria's police headquarters in the capital, Abuja, the police say.
"The police force headquarters has been bombed, everywhere is bombed," deputy police spokesman Yemi Ajayi told AFP. Police spokesman Olusola Amore said Islamist group Boko Haram was suspected of being behind the attack.
An emergency official said a suspected suicide bomber had died in the blast. The blast in the car park of the police base destroyed many vehicles and a large plume of smoke could be seen rising from the scene.
A Red Cross worker told Reuters other bodies were being evacuated from the scene, from where a large plume of smoke can been seen rising. No-one has claimed responsibility for the attack. A Red Cross spokesman said seven people had been taken to hospital.
However, Islamist group Boko Haram has recently been targeting police and government officials. The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Lagos says that, for the Nigerian authorities, the attack is an embarrassing strike at the very heart of their security establishment.
The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Lagos says for the Nigerian authorities, the attack is an embarrassing strike at the very heart of their security establishment. In the last few weeks, Boko Haram, which usually operates in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, has been stepping up its attacks on security targets.
Officials say the explosion took place in the car park of the police headquarters. The group said it was behind a series of bombings that took place hours after President Goodluck Jonathan's inauguration last month.
"A suspected suicide bomber died in the incident. Many vehicles were destroyed," Yushau Shuaib, a spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency told the AFP news agency. On Tuesday, Nigeria's police chief promised to decisively deal with the group by sending more troops and equipment to the north, declaring they would be finished within a few months.
'Windows shaking'
"Definitely we are suspecting a group that goes by the name Boko Haram who have been issuing threats upon threats for which the police are rising up to that challenge," AFP news agency quotes Mr Amore as telling reporters after the blast.
He said the attack on the car park of the police headquarters happened at 1000 GMT leading "to the death of the suicide bomber and a police traffic warden".
Residents say the explosion was heard across the city.Residents say the explosion was heard across the city.
Inauguration bombing
"My windows were shaking and I heard the loud noise. I saw smoke coming up," Reuters news agency quotes one witness as telling a local television station."My windows were shaking and I heard the loud noise. I saw smoke coming up," Reuters news agency quotes one witness as telling a local television station.
An eyewitness told the BBC Hausa Service that he heard two explosions and saw more than 30 dead bodies and about 40 vehicles destroyed.
A bus commuter who saw the blast told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme: "All of a sudden there was this loud explosion. Everybody was scared and people began to run around."A bus commuter who saw the blast told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme: "All of a sudden there was this loud explosion. Everybody was scared and people began to run around."
He said police and Red Cross officials had rushed to the scene, and had moved people away from the area.He said police and Red Cross officials had rushed to the scene, and had moved people away from the area.
"We are evacuating the dead bodies, it is too early for us to judge how many. Our priority is to treat the living casualties right now," a Red Cross spokesman told Reuters. Umar Mairiga, a spokesman for the Nigerian Red Cross, said it was difficult to confirm exactly how many people had died as bodies had been dismembered, the Associated Press news agency reports.
Most of Boko Haram's attacks have been in the northern city of Maiduguri. The BBC's Chris Ewokor at the scene said he could see the remains of more than 20 cars, burnt beyond recognition.
But the group said it was behind a series of bombings that took place hours after President Goodluck Jonathan's inauguration last month. According to AP, the police said 33 cars had been damaged beyond repair and 40 more had been partially damaged by the explosion.
On Tuesday, Nigeria's police chief promised to decisively deal with the group by sending more troops and equipment to the north, declaring they would be finished within a few months. The Boko Haram sect accuses Nigeria's government of being corrupted by Western ideas and wants to overthrow the state and impose Islamic law on the country.
The group accuses Nigeria's government of being corrupted by Western ideas and wants to overthrow the state and impose Islamic law on the country.
It has killed dozens of people, mostly shot by gunmen riding motorbikes, in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.It has killed dozens of people, mostly shot by gunmen riding motorbikes, in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.
Last year, officials blamed two explosions in Abuja during celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Nigeria's independence on militants from the oil-rich Niger Delta around Port Harcourt. Last year, officials blamed two explosions, which went off in Abuja during celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Nigeria's independence, on militants from the oil-rich Niger Delta around Port Harcourt.
Are you in Abuja? Did you witness the attack? Send us your stories using the form below.Are you in Abuja? Did you witness the attack? Send us your stories using the form below.
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