Jonathan visits Emab plaza blast site, victims

President Goodluck Jonathan today was at the site of the deadly Wuse, Abuja car bomb blast that killed no fewer than 22 people.

He cut  short an African Union engagement to meet victims of the attack blamed on Boko Haram, also  went to a hospital where victims were being treated, describing the worsening Islamist insurgency as “one of the darkest phases in the history” of Nigeria.

“Nigerians are struggling, thinking about how to contribute to (the) nation's development and working very hard to take care of their families (while) others are busy to kill people,” he told reporters outside the hospital.

“It is regrettable,” he added. “But surely we will get over it.”

Jonathan had planned to attend the second day of talks at the ongoing summit in Equatorial Guinea, but reportedly left the conference on Thursday to return to Abuja.

It was the third major attack in Nigeria's capital since mid-April and raised further fears about Boko Haram's growing strength.

Analysts said the insurgents now appeared capable of attacking wherever they want, including remote villages in their northeastern stronghold, and popular commercial targets near the parliament.