Nigeria’s 51st independence anniversary will be low-keyed due to fears of possible bomb attacks by the Islamic sect Boko Haram, which has claimed responsibility for the spate of bombings in the country in recent times.
Less than a week to the anniversary, invitation letters have yet to be sent out while the programme of events have yet to be released, according to the private Punch newspaper on Sunday.
The paper quoted Interior Ministry spokesman Theodore Jackson as confirming that preparations for the anniversary celebrations had been put on hold.
“What I can say is that the preparations for the celebration have been put on hold for now. The government has not issued the programme of events, but from what I gathered, the event would be very low-key,” he said.
Last year’s observance of the 50th independence anniversary in the capital city of Abuja was ruined by a bomb attack, claimed by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).
Since then, at least three bomb attacks have been recorded in Abuja since then, including the 26 Aug. bombing of the UN house that left at least 23 dead. All three have been claimed by Boko Haram.