Suicide Bomber Kills Many At Nigerian Police Headquarters

The Nigerian Police Headquarters, Abuja was this afternoon hit by a car bomb killing about ten people according to an eye witness and official sources. The bomber is believed to have died in the attack.

Yemi Ajayi, a spokesman for the police said the explosion occurred at the car park within the compound of the police building.

An eye witness to the blast, a senior police officer told Thetimesofnigeria.com that there are over ten fatalities.

“Over ten people must have died. Bodies are being evacuated as I speak to you. It is not possible to say how many may have died so far.”

The senior police officer who prefers anonymity said he saw the bomber as he drove into the police headquarters’ and parked his Honda Civic (Ash color) car in the area reserved for the Inspector General of Police.

“The bomber parked the car on the spot reserved for the IG and he was immediately accosted and was being questioned when the bomb went over. Everything happened in less than thirty seconds.” The officer said.

“I am not sure if the bomber died in the car or if he made it our alive as we all took cover as the bomb exploded. There was commotion everywhere.”

Authorities in Nigeria’s north have previously blamed the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, which draws inspiration from Afghanistan’s Taliban movement, for bomb attacks and killings targeting government officials and security forces. More than 14,000 people died in ethnic and religious clashes between 1999 and 2009 in Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer and most populous nation, according to the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.

Boko Haram have set conditions for peace talks with President Goodluck Jonathan, including the introduction of Sharia law in the country’s northern states, Usman al-Zawahiri, a spokesman for the sect, said on June 13.

Militants from the oil-producing Niger Delta have also attacked government officials.

Force spokesman Olusola Amore has fingered the Boko Haram sect as probable culprits in this morning's attack on the Police Force Headquarters.


He said the Boko Haram were the likely suspects because they had been "issuing threats" against the police and other establishments. He also said the IG will not be embarrassed or tender his resignation because it is not the first time such occurrences have happened in Nigeria.

Speaking to media men, he claimed that one suicide bomber and the traffic policeman who tried to intercept him as he drove into the Police Force HQ were the only two fatalities from this morning's explosion. He said the remains of the bomber had been taken for further investigation.