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| East/Subsaharan Africa |
| 'Many' dead in Nigeria blast |
| 2003-02-02 |
| An explosion in Nigeria's biggest city Lagos has killed at least 20 people and injured many others. The blast, in the heart of the business district, appears to have been centred on a four-storey complex of shops and homes, flanked on both sides by local banks. It is not yet known what caused the explosion at about 1130GMT which could be heard several kilometres (miles) from Lagos Island. Could be any number of things: Terrorism is the first thing that springs to mind, but there's also the possibility of a gas leak. It could be a "work accident" involving somebody who heard a rumor Miss Universe was coming back. I know it's probably wishful thinking, but I haven't received any Nigerian e-mails today — maybe somebody tracked them down and did what we've all wished we could do... The force of the blast ripped the facade off the shopping complex, while one of the adjoining buildings almost totally collapsed. Crowds gathered at the scene, hampering access for the police and emergency services. The scene was one of utter confusion, with looters taking away computer equipment and police firing in the air to try to disperse them, our correspondent says. "No! Dont' take my e-mail machines!" "When I arrived they had got six or seven bodies out and into police vehicles and ambulances", one witness said. "I saw many more trapped. There were at least 20, maybe more," Laure Adiobun said. Heavy lifting gear is being moved into position to lift slabs of concrete in the hope of finding survivors trapped under the rubble. Money from one of the banks was scattered in the explosion, triggering looting and fights as young men grabbed wads of cash, the Associated Press news agency reported. Somebody saw "Ocean's Eleven"? Only last week, Nigerians commemorated the first anniversary of a huge explosion at an arms depot in Lagos in which more than 1,000 people were killed. Most of the victims drowned in a canal after being trampled underfoot in a stampede of people fleeing the explosion. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #2 Don't know about you all, but my nigerian friends have moved to Afghanistan and The Philippines. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-02-02 20:33:42 |
| #1 Somewhat off-topic, but I just got another of those Nigerian emails, only it wasn't from Nigeria at all. It was from, of all places, Taiwan, and the writer held himself out as being the manager of ChinaFirst Commercial Bank's Nan Kan branch. *smirk* I think I'll just forward this email along to the R.O.C. national police. This is what I wrote back to the poor sap: "You are proposing actions (i.e., embezzlement and identity theft) that are serious violations of the laws of the United States and the Republic of China. I am forwarding your mail to the appropriate authorities. Have a nice day." |
| Posted by: Joe 2003-02-02 15:29:08 |