Deadly blast at Nigeria army base

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From Christian Purefoy , CNN STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: 3 hurt in a blast at a beer hall near Abuja, a government official says A more serious explosion occurs in Bauchi, when a bomb detonates There are casualties, though no definitive number has been released The blasts came hours after Goodluck Jonathan's inauguration as president (CNN) -- Hours after the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan, a bomb blast rocked the northern Nigerian city of Bauchi, a government spokesman said. Yushau Shuaib, a spokesman for Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency, confirmed that there are several casualties, though he did not give a specific number. "Most victims were moved to hospitals and dead bodies were evacuated," he said.

29 May 2011 Last updated at 19:12 ET

A number of people have been killed and injured in a bomb blast near an army barracks in northern Nigeria, local officials say.

The explosion hit the Mamy market in the city of Bauchi late on Sunday. The injured were taken to local hospital.

No group has so far said it carried out the blast.

It came just hours after Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as Nigeria’s president for a new four-year term in the capital Abuja.

The blast happened at about 2000 local time (1900 GMT), officials say.

Bauchi state police commissioner Abdulkadir Indabawa told Agence France-Presse that four bodies had been recovered and the number of injured had been put at 20.

Other reports say at least 12 people were killed.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Jonathan was sworn in as president during a lavish ceremony in Abuja, following his clear election victory.

Mr Jonathan was promoted from vice-president after Umaru Yar’Adua died in office in 2010.

Despite his win the country still has serious divisions and there were deadly riots after polling.

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Deadly blast at Nigeria army base