Suleija: An explosion near a
church outside of the Nigerian capital on Sunday killed at least
two people, police said, the latest of a spate of deadly
blasts to hit Africa's most populous nation.
The explosion outside the All Christian Fellowship
Mission was in the town of Suleija, which was also the target
of a deadly bomb attack at an electoral office on the eve of
April's parliamentary elections.
"There was an explosion close to a church in Suleija,"
police spokesman Yemi Ajayi told AFP of the town on the
outskirts of Abuja. "Two women seriously injured were later
confirmed dead."
Church pastor Joseph Olowosagba said services had
ended, but some church members were still inside when the
explosion went off outside of a window.
"We just ended service in the church and we were
having a meeting," he said at the scene.
"Then we heard the explosion and some of our people
were affected. As at now, two of them are dead and one is
still alive, but seriously injured."
An emergency management spokesman earlier confirmed
the explosion and reported at least four people seriously
wounded.
The bomb attack at the electoral office in April
killed at least 13 people and wounded dozens of others.
Victims in the April attack included members of the
Nigerian youth corps, a mandatory service for young people,
who were recruited to work as polling officials.
A series of bomb blasts and other attacks occurred in
the run up to and after Nigeria's parliamentary, presidential
and state elections in April.
Much of the violence has been claimed by an Islamist
sect known as Boko Haram, which has mainly operated in the
northeastern region of the country and has previously targeted
churches in a nation roughly divided in half between
Christians and Muslims.
Attacks have intensified in recent weeks and other
parts of the country have also been targeted.
PTI
First Published: Monday, July 11, 2011, 00:06