Suicide bomber killed, one person injured in Abuja explosion

The explosion that occurred near the Nigerian Army’s Mogadishu cantonment in Abuja on Monday injured a passerby and killed the carrier, suspected to be a suicide bomber.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Nigerian Army announced the explosion on its X handle Monday evening.

“Explosion At Bus Stop Opposite Mogadishu Cantonment Abuja. Situation Under Control,” the army wrote, promising to provide further details of the explosion.

Army spokesperson Appolonia Anele, a lieutenant colonel, could not be reached for comments on Tuesday morning. She did not respond to calls, and a text sent to her had not been responded to.

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The police said operatives of Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) of the FCT Police Command have condoned off the area. The spokesperson for the command, Josephine Adeh, in a statement, noted that a male adult was injured in the incident.

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the suicide bomber was trying “to sneak into the barrack” when the explosive detonated.

“The suicide bomber died instantly leaving one passerby injured,” the agency posted on its X handle. “The EOD unit of the NPF evacuated the injured to National Hospital and took over the scene for further investigation; bringing the operation to a close at 17:29hrs. Stakeholders present included NEMA, Military, NPF, DSS and FRSC.”

Monday’s explosion makes it the seventh bomb incident recorded in Abuja and its environs since 2010 and the second since President Bola Tinubu assumed office.

01 October 2010: The first recorded bombing incident occurred during Nigeria’s 50th Independence Day celebrations. Two vehicle bombs exploded near Eagle Square in Abuja, resulting in at least eight deaths. The attack was reportedly carried out by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which later claimed responsibility. However, the group did not disclose the motive behind the attack.

16 June 2011: A suicide bomber targeted the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja. The explosion claimed the lives of two people, including the bomber and a traffic officer. The terrorist group Boko Haram later claimed responsibility for the attack.

26 August 2011: A vehicle-borne explosion rocked the United Nations (UN) building in Abuja resulting in the deaths of 23 people and left about 80 others injured. This attack marked one of the deadliest assaults [by Boko Haram terrorists] on an international organisation within Nigeria.

25 December 2011 (Christmas Day): A devastating bombing occurred at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madalla, a town in Niger State approximately 10 kilometers from Abuja. The attack, which happened during a church service, killed no fewer than 35 people and injured many others. Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the bombing.

14 April, 2014: In the early hours of the day, a twin bomb incident occurred at a crowded bus station in Nyanya, a suburb of Abuja, killing 88 people and leaving approximately 200 others injured.

6 January, 2025: A bomb explosion occurred at the Tsangayar Sani Uthman Islamiyya School, located in Kuchibiyi community, Byazhin, Bwari Area Council, Abuja. The incident claimed the lives of two individuals.