The radical Islamic sect Boko Haram is suspected to have carried out the bombings as the attacks bear their imprint.
(MRA/IFEX) – At about 11:30 a.m. (local time) today, Thursday, 26 April 2012, the Abuja office of Leaders and Company Limited, publishers of ThisDay newspaper, was bombed by a suspected suicide bomber who reportedly drove into the office and detonated the bomb he carried.
At about the same time in Kaduna, North-western Nigeria, a building called SOJ plaza, which houses three dailies, ‘Daily Sun’, ‘ThisDay’ and ‘The Moment’ newspapers, was also bombed.
Although precise numbers are still unavailable as rescue workers are still at the scene of both incidents, over 40 persons are reported to have died in both attacks, with many others injured.
Mr. Segun Adeniyi, the Chairman, Editorial board of Thisday newspapers said two security men and the suicide bomber died, while 5 of their support staff were injured in the Abuja blast.
No one has claimed responsibility for the blasts, but the radical Islamic sect Boko Haram is suspected to have carried out the bombings as the attacks bear their imprint.
A spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, Mr Yushau Shuaib, said of the bomb blast in the Abuja office of Thisday that “a preliminary investigation seems to indicate that the explosive device was planted somewhere within the premises, not likely a case of suicide bombing.”
UPDATE: Contrary to initial reports, the State Security Services, Nigeria’s intelligence agency, have since issued a statement indicating a total of five persons died in the Abuja and Kaduna incidents, including the suicide bomber in the Abuja attack. (MRA, 26 April 2012)
MORE INFORMATION:
IFJ and FAJ condemn attacks on newspaper offices (IFJ, 26 April 2012)
MRA condemns bombing of offices of ThisDay and other newspapers (MRA, 26 April 2012)
