ABUJA, Nigeria, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- A car exploded in Nigeria's capital of Abuja Friday, killing at least seven people while the country celebrated 50 years of independence, officials said.
National police spokesman Emmanuel Ajukwu said the explosion occurred outside of the Justice Ministry, CNN reported.
Despite the explosion, celebrations marking the end of British colonial rule five decades ago in the African country went on as scheduled, officials said.
President Goodluck Jonathan attended the main event in Abuja, inspecting a guard of honor as police inspected the bomb site for evidence, CNN reported.
Ajukwu said the site of the explosion was not near Eagle Square, where the president was attending the events.
Earlier Friday, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said it had planted "explosive devices" at celebration venues, warning attendees to stay clear of vehicles and trash cans.
"There is nothing worth celebrating after 50 years of failure," the rebel group said in a statement.
It was unclear whether MEND was responsible for the car explosion, Ajukwu said.
In a nationwide address, Jonathan paid tribute to the resilience of Nigeria and its people since the end of British rule a half-century ago, noting his country's journey has been rocky, the BBC reported.
"Our troubles and our failures are well cataloged," Jonathan said. "For a country that was intent on development on a similar, if not better, level with many countries at independence, it is discomforting that we are lagging behind, as economic indexes among nations now show."
Nigeria is a major oil-producing country, but most of its people live in poverty.
Many heads of state and representatives from other countries are attending the festivities.
