TODAY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH BOMBING IN KADUNA Many dead and wounded in Kaduna’s day of violence

TODAY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH BOMBING IN KADUNA
Many dead and wounded in Kaduna’s day of violence 

The suicide bombing of Kaduna’s St Rita Catholic Church and the counter attack that it has spawned has Nigerian church on Sunday, have left over 10 peopledead and 145 wounded.

Christian youths took to the streets of Nigeria’s 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.

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.

Despite the presence of armed security operatives around Malali area, the mob found in motor cycle riders, suspected to be muslims soft targets.
P.M.NEWS learnt that the same group of angry christian youths also attacked a viewing centre, where some Muslims were watching football. Witnesses said no fewer than ten persons were stabbed and injured .
The mob also attacked an ambulance in the ensuing violence, but there was no indication that rescuers were wounded.
To stem the tide of violence, the joint military and police patrol team has blocked all roads leading to Malali and neighbouring villages. And more security men have been deployed to the area.
A JTF helicopter was seen hovering around the town to identify areas where crisis might be brewing .
The exact number of casualties is yet to be ascertained.
At the Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital , Kaduna , 14 persons injured were receiving treatment.
“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. pmnews