Pretoria - The South African government has sent its condolences to Nigeria following a bomb blast in that country’s capital Abuja, which left over 70 people dead.
“The South African government reiterates its condemnation of all forms and manner of terrorism. South Africa believes that terrorism, in any form and from whichever quarter, cannot be condoned,” the Department of International Relations and Cooperation said.
At least 71 people were killed and 124 others sustained injuries in the morning explosion, which rocked a large motor park in Abuja, Nigerian emergency authorities and police said on Monday.
According to eyewitnesses, a suicide bomber drove a red station wagon into Nyanyan Motor Park, located on the outskirts of Abuja, and detonated the bomb, which directly hit some luxury buses and other vehicles in the garage.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but officials blamed the explosion on Boko Haram, a sect which has proved to be a major security threat in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country.
Nigeria, with a population of approximately 170 million, is facing major security challenges, which are crippling economic activities in some states.
The northern part of the country is plagued by violence, including attacks by Boko Haram. The southern part is said to be a hub of criminal activities, including oil theft or bunkering, kidnap and armed robbery attacks.
Communal clashes often paralyse commercial activities in the central state of Plateau, which shares borders with many northern states, whereas pockets of violence in the north central state of Benue are mostly attributed to herdsmen. – SAnews.gov.za-Xinhua
