Nigerian capital rocked by blast

An explosion has rocked an area of the Nigerian capital near the site of a bombing that killed at least 75 people last month.

Rescue services have rushed to the scene in Abuja on May Day, a public holiday in the West African nation.

Witnesses said a car laden with explosives appeared to blow up near a checkpoint where security services have been delaying traffic for searches.

The Boko Haram Islamic extremist network claimed the April 14 bombing at rush-hour at a busy bus station in a working class suburb. It killed at least 75 people and wounded 141.

Hours later, the militants kidnapped more than 230 teenage girls at a school in the remote north east that is their stronghold.