Nigeria bomb toll rises to 23

THE death toll from a car bombing at the United Nations’ Nigeria headquarters has risen to 23, a UN spokesman said.

Martin Dawes also revealed that 81 people were wounded in Friday’s attack.

UN security chief Gregory Starr said there was no advance warning of the attack and that the UN had only received “general threats”.

A spokesman for the radical Muslim sect that claimed responsibility has promised further attacks.

It was the first suicide attack targeting foreigners by Boko Haram, a group which is reportedly linked to al-Qaida. It wants to implement a strict version of Shariah law in the nation and is vehemently opposed to western education and culture.