Nigerian Police Claim to Have Foiled a Bombing
According to Reuters Nigerian police claimed on Saturday to uncover a plan to bomb the Abuja transport network using suicide bombers and bombs hidden in luggage at major bus stations.
Terrorist group Boko Haram has targeted Abuja in the past with three deadly bombings since April. One of which killed at least 75 people in a bus park.
"Credible intelligence ... indicates that terrorists have perfected a plot to carry out attacks on the Abuja transport sector ... intended to cause panic amongst Abuja residents and visitors," said Frank Mba, police spokesman.
"The Police High Command has called on the management of motorparks to ... constantly conduct regular and routine scanning of their environments while insisting on carrying out a thorough search on passengers and their bags as well as vehicles," the statement said.
The International Business Times reported that the Police High Command will be searching all of the passengers and their belongings as well as searching cars in parking lots around the city.
Boko Haram has been responsible for several killings and kidnappings including the kidnapping of over 300 schoolgirls earlier this year. According to Newsweek 63 of these girls have since escaped after clashes with the Nigerian military at a base near Damboa.
The Telegraph reports that Malala Yousafzai, the girls' education campaigner who was shot by the Taliban is on her way to Nigeria to campaign on behalf of the schoolgirls.
Despite help from Britain, the United States and France many people feel that the trail has gone cold in the search for the missing girls.
The Nigerian government has rrefused to negotiate with Boko Haram to exchange hostages for capturee members of their group.
According to Tracking Terrorism, Boko Haram receives its funding from multiple sources including Nigerian expatiates, al Qaeda-affiliated groups, and other organizations in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.
The groups name roughly translates to "Western Education is Sin". Until now the Nigeria government has yet to actually prevent an attack and has been globally criticized for its inability to contain the group.
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