KADUNA (AFP) – A suicide attacker drove a car bomb into a church on Sunday, sparking fierce reprisals that saw a Christian mob burn a man alive in day of a bloody of violence that left at least 10 people dead and 145 wounded.
Christian youths took to the streets of the northern city of Kaduna with machetes and sticks after the blast, targeting those they believed to be Muslims as anger again boiled over due to repeated church bombings in recent months.
St. Rita’s Catholic church building, hit by suicide bombers in Kaduna on Sunday.
Attackers beat a motorcycle taxi driver near the church, then put his bike on top of him before dousing him with petrol and setting him on fire, an AFP correspondent who saw the violence said. Two other bloodied bodies apparently killed by the mob were seen near the church.
A rescue official on condition of anonymity also spoke of the man being burnt and said rescuers could not save him because the mob was too violent.
The mob also attacked an ambulance in the ensuing violence, but there was no indication that rescuers were wounded.
“So far we have eight dead and 145 injured from the church blast,” Musa Ilallah, regional coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency, told AFP, noting that his death toll included the suspected bomber.
The attacker rammed what residents said was an SUV into St. Rita church, shaking the Malali neighbourhood of Kaduna, a city that has suffered a wave of deadly violence blamed on Islamist extremist group Boko Haram.
“All of a sudden it drove on high speed and rammed into the church wall, forcing its way into the church premises,” said witness Samuel Emmanuel.
“Initially I thought the driver had lost control of the vehicle. Suddenly there was a huge explosion as the car reached the church building. It was dust, fire and smoke all over.”
A spokesman for Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency confirmed the bomb attack and said rescuers had been rushed to the scene.
“A number of casualties evacuated to hospitals,” said Yushau Shuaib. The incident was suspected to be triggered by a suicide bomber in a car.”
An AFP correspondent said mobs were yelling “why the church?” and some were carrying weapons, including machetes. Local elders were seeking to restore calm.
Residents had earlier spoken of clashes having broken out between Christian and Muslim residents.
The attack came after Friday’s Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, but it was not clear if there was any link.
In June, Boko Haram claimed responsibility for three suicide attacks on churches in Kaduna state, where the city of Kaduna is located, which led to deadly rioting. Dozens of people were killed in the violence.
Boko Haram’s insurgency in northern and central Nigeria has led to more than 2,800 deaths since 2009. While Muslims have often been its victims, it has in recent months also specifically targeted churches.
President Goodluck Jonathan has said the group is seeking to incite a religious crisis in Africa’s most populous nation and largest oil producer, roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south.
Kaduna is a large mainly Muslim city in Nigeria’s north and includes a sizeable Christian population.
Nigerians have grown increasingly frustrated with security forces’ inability to stop Boko Haram attacks, and there have been warnings of more reprisals if the violence continued.
Some Evangelical church leaders in Nigeria have said Christians may be forced to defend themselves if something is not done to address the unrest.
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When will Christians in the North central listen to their leaders to leave vengeance to God. It is difficult, but it is achievable. Two wrongs don't make a right. God bless Nigeria and save us from those who hate us
ReplyDeleteu ar an idiot, despite bn a fool learn to shotup.
DeleteI understand why christians do attack muslims in such a situation. Still it's better to unite against the perpetrators of this kind of devilish act, because both muslims and christians have been targeted. May God protect us all.
ReplyDeleteaustin, it wl nt hapn t u bt wat of if u ar near d church nd bomb hs kild al ur rlatives nd later kiled part of ur family,cnt u dcid t retaliate? Bt truly vengeanc s 4 God bt muslim leaders plz expose d bad seeds so as t restor peace.y alwz church?
ReplyDeleteIt's vry sad 2 cntinu hearin d sam mis4un evnt. Wt ds, w can't progres. So let's join hands 2geda n call 4 God's intaventn thru our prayas.
ReplyDeletewhat about the senetor that was caught with boko harram member in his house.infact Gej shud wake up from slumber
ReplyDeleteGud question Anonymous. The Senator & the Governor have something to hide from d way dy have been trading accusations. GEJ should live up to his billing as the C-In-C of d Nigerian armed forces.
ReplyDeleteMuslims r not doing enough. U can csll for.the head of someone n protest when ur prophet is ill spoken of but u sitdom.n look on.when souls die. Having acquainted myself with some of the ideologies, I can safely say u.ppl r try to make nigeria an Islamic state n u have devised a device called boko haram to instill the fear of Allah while u look on, pretending u do not know what's going on.
ReplyDeleteIf u truly mean it, then lead ur leaders rise and take draastic action, even if its for the sake of the purported stain on the name of Islam. Do something otherwise Christians would be forced to respond. If this country splits along religious lines, u won't like it. It won't pay u and it would take years of wars for the dusts to settle.
Folding our arms and doing nothing is not d way out. Time has come for Christians to take the war to these terrorists since the govt can't protect d Christians. If any of my relatives is a victim of bomb blast, how do you convince me not to retaliate? The unfortunate thing is that the victims of such retaliation are never the perpetrators. Govt needs to wake up before things get out of control.
ReplyDeleteWhen wll Nigeria be free from this wickedness. We need God's intervention.
ReplyDeleteHmmm! I'm tired!
ReplyDeleteO! Wat a wikd, prtetiq & hrtlss deed!! 4 d dcead & wnded once, may god cncl u, 4 no 1 hs d ryt, 2 tuq dat (lye) wich is god blog. Infct i wish am in position 2 over cum dis prbls, bcoz i fil sad, as wu so eva thrw a bomb in2 a chrch, dat prson is a grt enemy of islam, bcos is indrtly thrwin bomb in2 d moque, 4 dat, pls my flw 9ga, we shld b rlistiq nd knw dat dis act, has ntin 2 do wit islam nd may god giv d viqtms d hrt to bya nd dstry d brbriq pple. amin
ReplyDeleteI will say this without my heart in my mouth.The good luck jonathan is the one who kill those people in which God will require their blood on his head.Having confirmed those responsible for boko haram and failed to disclose them God must punish him(mr president).
ReplyDeleteI will say this without my heart in my mouth.The good luck jonathan is the one who kill those people in which God will require their blood on his head.Having confirmed those responsible for boko haram and failed to disclose them God must punish him(mr president).
ReplyDeleteIf any Christian point his fingers on the muslim brethren bcos of BokoHaram, then u must be insane, very stupid in ur head and vice versa. Boko Haram is not a machination 4rm Muslims or christians, they're owned by a cabal in the country who are within our amiable govtal circle. The executive arm, ministers, senators, reps, judiciary, army & police executives, governors, etc, they all know d ppl behind boko, sorry, they're the principal boko haram members. Now let me tell u, they're just engaging in blood politics. They're making their dough as more death is recorded. Blv me or not, bh is not a muslim machinery, even the so called christians in d apex govt organogram knows this, u got 2 blv me. What u ppl shd b prayin @ d moment is for God to open d eyes of Nigerians to see things. Right now, u all are damned blind. Our villain govt is doin to u ppl,''d more u look, the less u see''. My xtian and muslim brodas, I urge u not 2 fight urselves bcos u will only be dancing to the tunes of evil warlocks who've bn waiting 4 dis to happen, instead, we shd fight them, spiritually and otherwise. But spiritual war is the best. Rememba demons don't fight demons, so, u knw wht 2 do, pray 2 God wt all righteousness. If 50% of Nigerians are righteous and they go dwn on their knees in prayer, God will hear our prayers, he'll forgive and heal our LAND. It's an unfortunate thing that less than 5% of Nigerians're in right status wt God, that's why our prayers hv turned 2 mere rumblings & grumblings. What we'll do we must do fast. Bcos time is no more on our side. Stop the ill-tacts and face d valid facts. Right now, Nierians are chasing shadows, let's wake 4rm our slumber b4 they'll take us for timber, then we would be one-on-one wt the trauma of the cut-man. BE WISE!!!
ReplyDeleteIts just politics...its not like mosques are being spared too,d government is trying but this really needs intervention from above,my Allah doesn't sleep and I'm sure HE'll expose all the evil people trying to spoil their names not Islam!
ReplyDelete