A REPRISAL ATTACK OVER THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BOMBING IN KADUNA

As a result of the Catholic church bombing which claimed about three lives yesterday, christian youths took to the streets with machetes and sticks afterward, targeting people they believed to be Muslims as anger again boiled over due to the repeated church bombings in recent months, an AFP correspondent reported.
A vehicle for rescue workers was attacked in the ensuing violence, but there was no indication that rescuers were wounded.
“At least three people are confirmed dead,” a rescue official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to give out figures. He was speaking of the toll from the
suicide bombing.
He added later that the toll included the suspected attacker and that there were a number of injuries.
The strong blast that saw the attacker ram what residents said was an SUV into St. Rita church shook the neighbourhood and led to the reprisals in the city previously hit by violence blamed on Islamist extremist group Boko Haram.
The rescue source said the attacker had sought to drive into the church, but seemed to have hit a barrier. Others in the area said the bomber continued to drive after hitting the church wall and made his way inside the church premises.
“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 said it had received reports of a bomb blast in the area of a Catholic church and rushed rescuers to the scene.
“They were talking about a bomb explosion,” said Yushau Shuaib of the reports, while adding that his agency was however seeking to confirm details.
“A number of casualties evacuated to hospitals. The incident was suspected to be triggered by a suicide bomber in a car …”
He said later that a rescue vehicle had been attacked in the violence afterward, but no workers were wounded.