At least 21 people are dead and 17 are injured after a powerful bomb exploded outside a popular shopping mall in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.  Blame immediately fell upon Boko Haram, which has been on a relentless campaign of terror across the country. 

One suspect is under arrest, while soldiers killed another, according to Mike Omeri of Nigeria’s National Information Center.  Authorities also reportedly recovered a bag of exploded devices.

“We heard a really loud noise and the building shook, and people started screaming and running out,” said Chiamaka Oham, who was nearby when the explosion occurred.  “We saw the smoke and people covered in blood.  It was just chaos.”

The area was packed with people at the time of the explosion, which could be heard for several kilometers around.  A row of cars outside the Banex Plaza were burned and damaged, and windows were shattered all around.  Nigerian security forces sealed off the area.