A suspected bomb had exploded Wednesday amidst the busy rush hour in a crowded shopping district in Abuja, Nigeria, leaving 21 people dead and 17 injured.

No one has claimed responsibility for this recent blast. However, militant group Boko Haram has been targeting civilians lately in its armed rebellion, the Reuters reported.

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This would be the third time that Abuja has been the site of a suspected bomb explosion in three months. The blast occurred in a crowded region near the Banex Plaza shopping center in the Wuse 2 neighborhood before 4:00 pm (1500 GMT). The bloody incident comes as the Nigerian government and army face public outrage over their inability to protect the locals from such attacks.

After the initial investigation, police spokesperson Frank Mba told reporters that 21 people were confirmed dead and 17 others were injured. The spokesman for Nigeria's National Information Centre revealed that one suspect had been apprehended and another was killed by soldiers while attempting to escape on a motorcycle.

The deadly blast had shattered windows and left a large crater, according to witnesses. Officials remarked that the explosion occurred at the district's business hour, when the place was teeming with shoppers and commuters.

Bomb and gun attacks have plagued Nigeria on an almost daily basis. The Islamist group Boko Haram is suspected to be behind these violent incidents, as it has killed thousands of people since 2009 in its bid to establish an Islamist state in northern Nigeria.

Abuja, the Nigerian capital, has become a target for bomb attacks. In May, a suspected car bomb killed 15 and another attack on a bus station the previous month left 75 dead.

The name Boko Haram is roughly translated as "Western education is sinful." The militant group initially targeted government entities, churches, and security groups, but it has recently begun targeting ordinary citizens.

TagsNigeria, bomb, blast, Boko Haram, Explosion, Abuja, Dead