Reports reaching us suggest that a car bomb has just gone off at Banex Plaza in the heart of Abuja, Nigeria.
The car exploded in front of ‘Park and Shop’ in Wuse 2.
We can confirm that the FCT police commissioner is there at the moment, and his aides and members of the anti-bomb police squad have put up barricades around the area.
The police officers have in turn banned any photographs from being taken.
Details are still sketchy, and no one has yet come out to claim responsibility for the bomb- even though that is expected to happen anytime soon.
The Islamic sect popularly referred to as Boko Haram have been behind most bomb incidents that have marred the northern parts of Africa’s most populous nation, and even on the scene, most onlookers are quick to point the accusing finger on Boko Haram.
No casualties have been confirmed as yet, but given the population traffic at Wuse 2, that appears improbable.
Below is an official statement from the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja:
“Today 3rd July 2012 at about 9:30pm, a low level explosion went off somewhere along Aminu Kano Crescent, near Banex Plaza, Wuse 2, Abuja. A crack police team led by the Commissioner of Police in charge of FCT Command- CP Aderenle Shinaba- responded to the distress call, arriving the scene few minutes after the incident. The incident had a zero casualty record- no life lost, no person injured and no car damaged or burnt. Detectives from the Bomb Disposal Unit, assisted by their counterparts 4rm FCT CID have commenced investigation. FCT Police are continuing with their intensive overt & surveillance patrols of the city & wishes to reassure the residents of the police preparedness to continue to provide a safe & secured environment for social & economic activities to thrive unhindered. Meanwhile, mischief makers are in their own interest warned to keep off the city or have themselves to blame as the long arm of the law will soon catch up with them….” CSP Frank Mba (Police Spokesman)
May God help us Nigerians, we need keep hoping and act.