Suicide Bomber Kills 8 At Nigerian Catholic Church

The Huffington Post:

* Christian youths kill at least two in reprisal killings

* Attacker drove jeep into packed Catholic church

* Islamist sect Boko Haram has claimed such attacks in past     (Updates death toll)

By Garba Mohammed and Isaac Abrak

KADUNA, Oct 28 (Reuters) – A suicide bomber drove a jeep  packed with explosives into a Catholic church in northern  Nigeria on Sunday, killing at least eight people, injuring more  than 100 and triggering reprisal attacks that killed at least  two more, officials said.

The bomber drove right into the packed St Rita’s church in  the Malali area of Kaduna, a volatile ethnically and religiously  mixed city, in the morning, witnesses said.

A spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency  (NEMA) Yushua Shuaib said eight people had been confirmed killed  and more than 100 injured.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Islamist  sect Boko Haram has claimed similar attacks in the past and has  attacked several churches with bombs and guns as it intensified  its campaign against Christians in the past year.

“The heavy explosion also damaged so many buildings around  the area,” said survivor Linus Lighthouse.

A wall of the church was blasted open and scorched black,  with debris lying around. Police cordoned the area off.

Church attacks often target Nigeria’s middle belt, where its  largely Christian south and mostly Muslim north meet and where  sectarian tensions run high. Kaduna’s mixed population lies  along that faultline…

More here.

 

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