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2 Explosions Kill Dozens in Nigerian Marketplace 2 Explosions Kill Scores at Central Nigeria Market
(35 minutes later)
ABUJA, Nigeria — Two powerful explosions killed scores of people, many of them female vendors, in the central Nigerian city of Jos on Tuesday afternoon, officials and witnesses said. While no one claimed responsibility for the bombing, it occurred as international attention has focused on the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram following the abduction of hundreds of schoolgirls last month and may have been a bloody act of defiance.ABUJA, Nigeria — Two powerful explosions killed scores of people, many of them female vendors, in the central Nigerian city of Jos on Tuesday afternoon, officials and witnesses said. While no one claimed responsibility for the bombing, it occurred as international attention has focused on the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram following the abduction of hundreds of schoolgirls last month and may have been a bloody act of defiance.
The blasts shattered a bustling market area as working people were doing afternoon grocery shopping. With rescue operations still underway in a chaotic, smoky tangle of blasted stalls and body parts, the state commissioner of information confirmed at least 58 deaths. Other news reports put the death toll at more than 100. “That place is a commercial nerve center. There were more women casualties,” said Salis Muhammad Abdul Salam, who witnessed the blasts from his office nearby. “There are many hawkers,” added Mr. Salam, who runs a nongovernmental organization dedicated to women in the city. “So many people, selling vegetables, selling clothes, plastic materials,” he said. The blasts shattered a bustling market area as working people were doing afternoon grocery shopping. With rescue operations still underway in a chaotic, smoky tangle of blasted stalls and body parts, the police commissioner confirmed that at least 46 were killed and 45 wounded in the explosions. Other news reports put the death toll at more than 100. “That place is a commercial nerve center,” said Salis Muhammad Abdul Salam, who saw the blasts from his office nearby. “There were more women casualties.”
“There are many hawkers,” added Mr. Salam, who runs a nongovernmental organization dedicated to women in the city. “So many people, selling vegetables, selling clothes, plastic materials,” he said.
The bombs, exploding in two vehicles within minutes of each other, sent up thick clouds of smoke, and the second may have been timed to kill rescuers. The explosions in Jos, which is 170 miles from the capital here and has a Christian majority, came only two days after another car bomb detonated in a Christian neighborhood in the northern city of Kano, killing at least five people.The bombs, exploding in two vehicles within minutes of each other, sent up thick clouds of smoke, and the second may have been timed to kill rescuers. The explosions in Jos, which is 170 miles from the capital here and has a Christian majority, came only two days after another car bomb detonated in a Christian neighborhood in the northern city of Kano, killing at least five people.
“I think they are trying to make a statement, to let people know that despite international cooperation, they are not weakening,” said Shamaki Gad Peter, who works in the Jos office of the Nigeria Reconciliation and Stability Program, an activist group. “It’s a wake-up call. They are trying to make the country ungovernable.” “I think they are trying to make a statement, to let people know that despite international cooperation, they are not weakening,” said Shamaki Gad Peter, who works in the Jos office of the Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Program, an activist group. “It’s a wake-up call. They are trying to make the country ungovernable,” he said of Boko Haram.
Mr. Peter was near the blast site on Tuesday. “It’s a business area but it’s for the very poor,” he said. “There are women selling tomatoes. It’s not where you have the rich and mighty people doing their shopping,” he said. Mr. Peter was near the blast site on Tuesday. “It’s a business area, but it’s for the very poor,” he said. “There are women selling tomatoes. It’s not where you have the rich and mighty people doing their shopping,” he said.
Mr. Salam said he witnessed the ball of fire from the first blast, from a vehicle packed with sacks of grain. Afterward, grain was scattered everywhere. “I saw women carried away in wheelbarrows.” he said. Mr. Salam said he witnessed the ball of fire from the first blast, from a vehicle packed with sacks of grain. Afterward, grain was scattered everywhere. “I saw women carried away in wheelbarrows,” he said.
Neither Jos nor Kano has been the focus of recent attacks by Boko Haram. But the deadly blasts occurred amid unprecedented international attention and growing pressure on the group, and could be a signal to the world that it is not backing down. Last Saturday, a summit meeting in Paris brought together Nigeria and neighboring nations to discuss the Boko Haram threat and culminated with a vow of military cooperation to pursue the militants. Neither Jos nor Kano has been the focus of recent attacks by Boko Haram. But the deadly blasts occurred amid unprecedented international attention and growing pressure on the group, and could be a signal to the world that it is not backing down. Last Saturday, a summit meeting in Paris brought together Nigeria and neighboring nations to discuss the Boko Haram threat and culminated with a vow of military cooperation.
Earlier, spurred by international outrage over the girls, who were taken from their remote rural school in mid-April by the Islamist extremist group, the United States, Britain, France and Israel pledged to provide military aid — including personnel, intelligence-gathering and aircraft overflights — to assist Nigeria in rescuing them.Earlier, spurred by international outrage over the girls, who were taken from their remote rural school in mid-April by the Islamist extremist group, the United States, Britain, France and Israel pledged to provide military aid — including personnel, intelligence-gathering and aircraft overflights — to assist Nigeria in rescuing them.
An Islamist militant attack on Jos could have particularly dire consequences as it has been a flash point of Christian-Muslim tensions for years. The sprawling city, on a broad plateau high above sea level, lies at the edge of the Muslim-majority northern half of the country. Already on Tuesday evening, there were reports of reprisal attacks in Jos. An Islamist militant attack on Jos could have particularly dire consequences as it has been a flash point of Christian-Muslim tensions for years. The sprawling city lies at the edge of the Muslim-majority northern half of the country. Already on Tuesday evening, there were reports of reprisal attacks in Jos.
Apart from a defiant and mocking video message from its presumed leader last week, the bomb blasts — if indeed they are the work of Boko Haram — seem designed to demonstrate to the Nigerian government and its allies that the Islamist rebel group was unimpressed by the condemnations and vows to strike it down. Apart from a defiant and mocking video message from Boko Haram’s presumed leader last week, the bomb blasts — if indeed they are the work of the group — seem designed to demonstrate to the Nigerian government and its allies that the Islamist rebel group was unimpressed by the condemnations and vows to strike it down.
By continuing to seek out targets like markets, city centers, schools and bus stations, the group seemed keen on showing that it can sow terror among civilians wherever and whenever it wants. A deadly blast here the day before the girls were abducted killed at least 75; three hundred people also were killed in a village near the border of Cameroon two weeks ago. By continuing to seek out targets like markets, city centers, schools and bus stations, the group seemed keen on showing that it could sow terror among civilians wherever and whenever it wants. A deadly blast here the day before the girls were abducted killed at least 75; 300 people were also killed in a village near the border of Cameroon two weeks ago.