Word of more violence in Nigeria only heightens fears the country is slowly dissolving into chaos. A car bomb detonated and killed nearly 20 just a couple hundred feet from another devastating blast last month.
It happened Thursday morning in the capital Abuja at a bus stop near a police checkpoint. (Via BBC)
BBC REPORTER: "This eyewitness says when he saw the victims, most of them were burnt beyond recognition."
The reported death toll varies by media outlet, but many put it in the upper teens with around 70 other people injured. (Via CNN)
What's so concerning is this only marks the latest violence in Nigeria despite the country's government insisting it has everything under control.
AL JAZEERA REPORTER: "The security agents were on duty to stop something like this from happening, so there may be questions about how such an attack could happen right under their noses."
Those extra security forces were in the area because in mid-April, another bomb exploded only a couple of hundred feet away killing at least 75 people. (Via Jewish News One)
Only hours later, more than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped. Weeks after their disappearances, many are still missing. That's outraged much of the country, especially after reports some of the girls were sold as wives to foreign militants in neighboring Cameroon for as little as $12 each. (Via ABC & The Guardian)
Many believe a group called Boko Haram is behind the attacks, though it's only taken credit for the mid-April bus stop bombing. Boko Haram stands for "Western education is forbidden" in one of the local dialects.
In a video claiming responsibility for the April bombing, Boko Haram's leader also referenced Nigeria's capital, saying, "We are in your city but you don't know where we are." (Via TVC News)
VLADIMIR DUTHIERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "For a lot of people, that is an ominous message because for much of the last several years, Boko Haram has operated in the northeastern part of the country. They've attacked churches, mosques, government buildings, schools."
If Boko Haram has moved a more permanent operation into the centrally located capital, it's incredibly perilous news for Nigeria. Next week, Abuja is set to host several world leaders and dignitaries at the World Economic Forum on Africa.
