Abuja: At least 11 people were killed in an explosion at a popular market in Nigeria's capital Abuja late on Friday, witnesses and security sources said.
The blast occurred at Mammy market, close to the Sani Abacha barracks, a busy area where people congregate to eat and shop.
"Eleven have been confirmed dead," a security source said.
A witness said he was approaching the market to join New Year's Eve celebrations when he heard the explosion.
"People ran in different directions. There were scores of bodies - dead and wounded. They used army trucks to pack them away," Eric, a regular user of the market said.
The army and police were not immediately available for comment and the cause of the explosion was not known.
In the past week, violence has flared in Nigeria after bombings on Dec. 24 in the central city of Jos. At least 80 people were killed in the ensuing violence between Christian and Muslim youths.
Nigeria was shaken by car bomb attacks in Abuja in October, for which responsibility claimed by a rebel group in the oil-producing Niger Delta, where there has been a resurgence in violence.
