Two explosions were heard in Nigeria’s capital on Friday near a parade of top government and foreign officials marking the 50th anniversary of independence, a Reuters Television witness said.
The blasts came about an hour after Nigeria’s MEND rebel guerrilla group issued an email bomb warning, saying it had planted several devices at the parade and telling people to evacuate.
The Reuters cameraman said security forces and firemen had been trying to douse a fire in a vehicle after the first explosion when a second blast hit. People scattered and a young boy was seen being carried away to a nearby vehicle.
In an email warning received by Reuters an hour before the blasts, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, the biggest rebel militia in Africa’s most populous nation, said it had planted bombs at the parade ground.
“Several explosive devices have been successfully planted in and around the venue by our operatives working inside the government security services,” the email, signed by MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo, said.
“In evacuating the area, keep a safe distance from vehicles and trash bins.”
Broadcast television footage showed no interruptions to the lavish parade of thousands of soldiers and the great and the good of the continent’s biggest oil producer.
President Goodluck Jonathan arrived in an armored limousine dressed in his traditional black fedora hat and dark suit, before inspecting massed ranks of soldiers from an open-top jeep.
Jonathan is from the Niger Delta area, and many analysts thought his accession to the presidency earlier this year after the death of president Umaru Yar’Adua would have eased tensions between rebels and central government.
MEND is Nigeria’s biggest militant group and has fought for years to obtain a greater share of federal oil revenues for the impoverished Niger Delta.
Although most of its activities have been focused on the creeks and swamps of the delta, it has struck further afield, including at off-shore oil installations and in the heart of Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos.
MEND guerrillas agreed an amnesty with the military last year although analysts say only a fraction of the rebels’ weapons were handed in.
-Reuters
I’m in shock!
This is what happens when you refuse to hear the desperate cry of the people.
I just hope and pray no one died in the incidence!
Unbelievable!
It is high time our corrupt leaders sit tight and listen up else this is just the starting boiling point.
This is really very sad,but what we experienced today is a manifestation of the pent up frustrationon of the Nigerian youth.As a result of the the inability of our past and present leaders to do the right thing with all the abundant resources at their disposal. So I hope our corrupt leaders will start noticing and take heed
May God hear our cry, Nigeria is in deep problem.
This is a symbol of our reality
” Heed the cry of our poor masses and let not the innocent suffer ”… Time up !! Our leaders should face reality and allow peace to reign, let equity and justice uphold or else there will be more bomb blasts in the very near future and maybe a revolution, Nigeria can avoid that and yet live in relative peace.
my heart goes to the families of the deceased,i really wish it was our wicked and corrupt leaders that were blown up.
at 50,no food,no light,bad roads,poor education,no jobs n many much more.can there really be peace.
shame on the government!!!!
I just pray the explosion hit the right people which we all know.. Our corrupt leaders.. all of them.. that are met to be captured and burn to death… celebrating golden jubilee when the good citizens are suffering.. no electricity,no good roads(Death trap highways..Benin/Ore Road is an example where many have lost their souls),no good medications,no good water, no jobs except if you have connection.. lots of graduates with good qualification without jobs becos they don’t have that connection.. MAY GOD HELP NIGERIA.. FOOL AT 50..
The attack was sponsored by enemies of progress and God will punish them and their family for killing innocent people!!. MEND should learn to dialogue and not allow themselves to be used by politicians.
It is a very big offense even with many foreign dignitries at the ceremony, the millitants still had the liver to do that…
God help mother nigeria
dnt u knw we dat doesnt knw anything are the ones going to bear the brunt?
The militant are really serious about this their issue. But today is very bad for them to show their adrifness to massese.
only God will protect us.
I feel for those 21 people that are dealth… Many God have Mercy on them…
The Big question is what is the Solution and what are this people saing…
okay,all we need to do now is to start begging God and proceed in acidic prayer so that nigeria will regain her independent
God Will Punish Our Corrupt Leaders,Insha Allah
It is unfortunate that security problem still poise a great challenge in Nigeria. I wonder why this should still be happening after all said and done on the Niger Delta issues. This is probably a sign of what to expect in the 2011 elections. Let’s begin real purging of the Nigerian questions
set off these bombs in the right places morons
this is wrong.there is no justification for killing innocent people. God bless Nigeria.
PLEASE CONTINUED TO PRAYED FOR NIGERIA THAT IT WILL HAVE A LASTING PEACE, EVEN WITH THE COMING ELECTION.
I really hope one or two of the Members or House, the Ministers, the old idiots who have rule the country in the past and have done their deeds was really involved in the incident.. I really wish this guys could have planned this attack more appropriately to track the corrupt top men.. Nigeria really need a change of government. We need new people… Maybe those MEND guerrillas should try to seek the help of Jerry Rawlings of GHANA. We just have to exterminate this guys and come up with the new people to rule us.
This is really unfortunate. How can something like this happen on Nigeria’s golden jubilee. Have they lost so much faith in the nation?
We pray such things never happen again.
Well,we ar not surpise to hear bombing at capital territory.it is sign of d last days.very soon God will take endless rulership.d4 both nigerian leaders n bombers should repent n ask 4 forgivenes b4 it is 2 late.
THE SECURITY WITH GUNS AND BOMBS ARE JUST A TRAINING GROUND FOR REBELS AND A PREPARATION TO CALAMITY! BUT A SECURITY WITH SOUND EDUCATION, POVERTY ERADICATION, HUMAN CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND EQUITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT FOR HUMANITY IS A TOTAL SECURITY!!
i wish all the people at the venue died,including the president himself….i wish all the top Nigerian’s leader died with the bomb blast…if i have the chance to do it,i will kill everybody there for the future of nigerian…why not good target? sad for the innocent people that died..
that is a birthday givth,now gorvment will start to panic.
let leave God this time around and fight for ourself, durring the war some will die and some will live that is the end of the war,and Govt will take correction.who ever sponsor MEND the person will not achive good thing in Life.shameless will enter his house soon
MEND.this demonic group should b ecompletely wiped of by the Nigerian government
Beloved fellow Nigerians,the way of violence is not the best, at last women and children are usually the victims.our leaders should please let the national cake get to the grass roots.lets embrace Jesus in our hearts.and peace will reign in our country.
This bomb blast is an act of terrorism and a limitation to any countries sovereignty as it tends to be a threat to national security.
Im my own opinion, nigeria should take keen observation and be very persuasive in thier finding.
South africa is not the only country involved in this, they were also sponsored by other foreign allies.
There should be capital punishment for all the culprits.
God bless Nigeria!!!
No justice, No peace! Nigerian leaders are very wicket they dont care about people life, health and social amenities. I adivse Nigerian Government to constitute a commitee that will look into the case of bomb blast that happen almost every year in the country, and the commitee should be trust worthy.
i just don’t get - y is it so hard for a government to just give some simple services
((((
SHAME TO ALL YOU BLIND FULLS THAT CALL UR SELF LEDER´S, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A BLIND MAN TO LED A BATTLE? IS IT POSSIBLE FOR HE WHO DOSENT KNOW WHAT HE WANT TO DETERMINE WHAT THE COUNTRY WANT?
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS SICK AND DOSE NOT KNOW THE COST OF HIS SICKNESS GET QUIRED?
WHEN WILL U WAKE FROM DREEM TO REALITY OH NIGERIANS? PLEASE SEE WHAT THIS YOUNG MAN NAMED CHINEDU WRITE.¿ CAN YOU READ IT ONCE AGAIN AND MEDITATE ON IT?
THE SECURITY WITH GUNS AND BOMBS ARE JUST A TRAINING GROUND FOR REBELS AND A PREPARATION TO CALAMITY! BUT A SECURITY WITH SOUND EDUCATION, POVERTY ERADICATION, HUMAN CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND EQUITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT FOR HUMANITY IS A TOTAL SECURITY!!
HOPE ONE OF U CAN THINK LIKE A HUMAN BIN AND STOP OPPRATEING LIKE ANIMALS. I AM ASHAME OF YOU ALL. BLIND LIDER´S.
GOD SAVE US