20101001
africanews

The death toll from Friday's bomb blasts in the Nigerian capital, Abuja has reportedly risen to twelve in the incident that left around twenty others injured on the occasion of Nigeria's 50th anniversary celebrations.

Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND had earlier warned of an imminent attack to protest against the anniversary celebrations which it said was not deserved due to the seeming lack of development in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

“MEND sent some text messages to a journalist in Abuja before the bomb blast’’ a Nigerian reporter with the BBC Abdul Isa confirmed. “But they (MEND) did not come out to say yes we did it,” he added.

The BBC quoted the group to have said "several explosive devices have been successfully planted in and around the venue by our operatives working inside the government security services".

Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan had on Friday said the perpetrators of the bomb explosions in Abuja during the country's 50th anniversary would be found and dealt with.