Explosion heard near ceremony to mark Nigeria’s 50th independence after militant threat
By APFriday, October 1, 2010
Nigeria: Explosion heard near independence event
ABUJA, Nigeria — Witnesses say they have heard an explosion near where Nigeria’s government is celebrating its 50th independence.
An Associated Press reporter says he heard an explosion just before the parade was set to begin at Nigeria’s Eagle Square on Friday. The explosion happened on the parade ground, and a security agent was seen lying on the ground near the blast.
The event, attended by President Goodluck Jonathan, is continuing without interruption.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, the main militant group in Nigeria’s oil-rich southern delta, issued a threat to journalists Friday morning promising to bomb the event. In the message, the group said that there was “nothing worth celebrating after 50 years of failure.”
