Bomb Blast in UN Building in Abuja

The United Nations headquarters in Nigeria’s capital was hit on Friday by a car bomb, amidst mounting US fear that Islamist extremists in the continent’s leading oil producer have linked up with al-Qaeda affiliates elsewhere in Africa.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack, which claimed at least 10 dead according to medical sources, but suspicion fell on a radical Islamist sect responsible for a string of bombs attacks and assassinations over the past year.

The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, who was elected in April after serving a year as president following the death in office of his predecessor, has had some success, thanks to an amnesty programme in defusing violence in the oil producing and mostly Christian south.

It is only the third time that Abuja, the federal capital, has been targeted, with national police headquarters hit last June in a blast blamed on the radical Boko Haram sect, and a separate attack at 50th anniversary of independence celebration last year claimed by militants from the oil producing Niger delta.

But it has struggled to contain an escalating conflict with the Boko Haram sect, which is seeking stricter application of Sharia law. Much of the related violence, including a spate of armed robberies and attacks which claimed 12 lives on Thursday, has taken place in the remote north east of the country.

Witnesses described seeing bodies hauled out of the UN building, which is located in the diplomatic area of Abuja, not far from the US embassy. Police confirmed that there were casualties and medical sources gave Reuters news agency an initial death toll of 10.

Earlier this month, the commander for US military operations in Africa said Boko Haram may be trying to link with two al-Qaeda affiliated groups in other African countries to mount joint attacks in Nigeria.

Nigeria has spawned a string of different radical Islamist groups over the past 20 years. But until recently little evidence has emerged of sustained links with extremists or terrorist groups outside the country.

General Carter Ham told the Associated Press during a visit to Nigeria earlier this month that ”multiple sources” indicated that Boko Haram made contacts with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which operates in northwest Africa, and with al-Shabab militants in Somalia. ”I think it would be the most dangerous thing to happen not only to the Africans, but to us as well,” Gen Carter said.

Witnesses said the blast was caused when a car drove through one of the UN compound’s gates and made its way close to the four-storey building before the explosion. The building houses about 400 employees of the UN in Nigeria, including the majority of its offices.

Financial Times

Mikel Obi is Tough : Villas-Boas

When selecting his squad for the opening two games of the season, Andre Villas-Boas listened to John Mikel Obi and trusts the player's belief that he is able to perform on the pitch.

With the abduction of Mikel's father in Nigeria still unresolved, the manager will take a decision on whether the midfielder starts the game but last weekend's performance was evidence that he can focus fully on the game.

'I have to go with the word my player gives to me and for the game against Stoke, Mikel felt well enough to play,' Villas-Boas says.

'Players that go through major disappointments or personal things in their lives can still be okay to play because they feel well on the pitch. It is the way to avoid the things that are running in their personal lives or to focus on the different things.

'Mikel made himself available for training and selection so I will just judge it like that. I agree he is showing amazing mental toughness.'

It was the manager who first informed Mikel of what had happened in his homeland, a task he says wasn't easy.

'Hopefully this can be resolved as soon as possible,' he adds. 'All of his colleagues are hopeful of that.

'Different players can react in different ways. Some players want straight away to go back to their families, others prefer to be like this and live on day by day, not because they are distant from what is happening but it's their choice.'

The Barclays Premier League enters its second weekend with today's opponents West Bromwich Albion arriving off the back of a home defeat by Manchester United.

'That game told me the same about Man United, the team that won the championship last year,' says Villas-Boas.

'They suffered a few injuries, unfortunately for them, but they are a strong team and one of the favourites for the title. All of the good signs for Manchester United are there.

'Regarding all the first games in the league, there were a couple of surprises but that is nothing new. In the beginning for all the top teams you can have average performances and I would say that about all the top teams apart from Man City, although until the breakthrough of the first goal Swansea had a couple of periods of possession when, without threatening a lot, they were in control of the game.

'You sensed that a breakthrough would take Man City through to a better result. I thought the same about our game. If you unlock one goal it takes Stoke out of their area and you find more spaces and you can go on to a better result but it just didn't happen.

'The Man United game was a good game with chances at either end and it fell in the end to Man United. I think it was even in opportunities for both teams.'

Chelseafc.com

Uefa probe Wenger actions

Uefa have opened disciplinary proceedings against Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger for not abiding by the conditions of his touchline ban against Udinese.

The Gunners tackled the Italian side in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night in the first leg of their play-off, a match in which Wenger was in the stands due to a one-game suspension.

The Frenchman was issued with the ban after being found guilty of improper conduct for calling referee Massimo Busacca "embarrassing" after Arsenal's 3-1 defeat at Barcelona last March.

However, while Wenger was in the stands at Emirates Stadium he was passing messages through first-team coach Boro Primorac to assistant manager Pat Rice on the touchline.

Opened

After being warned by Uefa that Wenger was contravening the rules imposed following his touchline ban, he withdrew from communication.

The Frenchman, who also snubbed his post-match press conference, is now facing disciplinary action from European football's governing body.

"Disciplinary proceedings have been opened against Arsenal FC manager Arsène Wenger for not abiding by the decisions of the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body in relation to the one-match suspension he served during Tuesday's UEFA Champions League play-off game against Udinese," read a statement on Uefa's official website.

The new disciplinary case will be discussed on Monday 22 August.

Skysports.com