Nigeria church attack toll reaches 15

Abuja, Nov 27 (IANS) The toll in the twin blasts that hit a military church in Nigerian state of Kaduna Sunday rose to 15, a military official said Monday.

The blasts rocked the St. Andrew Military Protestant Church in Jaji in central north Kaduna, leaving dozens of others as injured, Xinhua reported. The first explosion occurred at about 12 p.m. while the second went off 10 minutes later.

Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College AVM Abdullahi Kureh informed about the casualties to Governor Patrick Yakowa Monday when he visited the site of the attack.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal condemned the Sunday bomb blasts.

According to media reports, the attacks were carried out by suicide bombers who targeted a church inside military barracks.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack. The army, however, suspected Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which recently targeted churches in the state, BBC reported earlier Monday.

The group is fighting to overthrow the government and impose an extreme form of Sharia, or Islamic law.

IANS 2012-11-27 06:10:05