Several people have been killed by a bomb blast at a bar near a barracks in Nigeria\u2019s capital, Abuja. Nigeria\u2019s President condemned the attack, blaming it on Islamists who claimed responsibility for a recent bombing in the north of the country.
\nThe explosion happened in a market where soldiers and civilians often gather to eat and drink beer.
\nA police spokesman said four people had died, while military sources have told the BBC 11 people were killed.
\nIn a statement issued by his spokesman, President Good luck Jonathan called the attacks \u201cevil\u201d and \u201cwicked\u201d.
\n\u201cBasking in their nefarious success in Jos on Christmas Eve, they have once again knifed at the heartstrings of a nation decked out in gaiety, celebrating New Year\u2019s Eve,\u201d he said.
\nAn Islamic sect known as Boko Haram said it had carried out the attack in Jos, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Abuja bombing.
\nState TV initially reported that 30 people were killed. But police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said four people had been killed \u2013 three men and one woman.
\nWitnesses have told the BBC they saw body parts lying on the ground and injured people being carried away after the blast.
\n\u201cPeople ran in different directions. There were scores of bodies \u2013 dead and wounded. They used army trucks to pack telling Reuters news agency.
\nThe area was sealed off.
\nAir Marshal Oluseyi Petiri said a bomb had been placed \u201cwhere people were relaxing and generally being happy because of the New Year which is approaching\u201d.
\nHe urged Nigerians to be vigilant, following a recent spate of bomb attacks in a country where they had been almost unknown.
\n\u201cDo not allow anybody to come and leave a bag, or any kind of object, especially when he is no there,\u201d he told state TV.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Several people have been killed by a bomb blast at a bar near a barracks in Nigeria\u2019s capital, Abuja. Nigeria\u2019s President condemned the attack, blaming it on Islamists who claimed responsibility for a recent bombing in the north of the country. The explosion happened in a market where soldiers and civilians often gather to eat […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-272684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n