Thaindian News

Oct 3 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Leona Lewis, the former X Factor winner wanted to desperately leave Nigeria for her home yesterday evening. The 25-year-old was in a hotel in the Nigerian capital, Abuja when a car bomb claimed the lives of at least 8 people. There are however unconfirmed reports that the death toll in the twin blasts has risen to 12.

The star was billed to perform in one of the concerts to mark 50 years since the independence of Africa’s most populous country. She said that she was sad that she was canceling her planned performance out of respect for those that perished in the blast.

Nigeria is home to some 150 million people and the country is blessed with abundant oil. A militant group in the region where the oil are drilled in the country, MEND has been fighting the Nigerian government to give the region its fair share of the oil proceeds.

Twenty-four hours to the 50th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, the militant group warned the Nigerian government that it will strike if the country goes ahead with its planned festivities because according to the group, the country has achieved nothing over the last 50 years that needed to be celebrated.

The group carried through with its threat and bombed a location close to where events to mark the anniversary were being held. The former leader of the group has been arrested in connection with the blast.