Twin suicide attacks at church kill 11 in Nigeria

, Nov 25: Two suicide bombers targeted a church inside a military barrack in northern

today, killing at least 11 people and injuring several others as worshippers were returning after a Sunday mass. The attack occurred at St Andrews Military Protestant Church located inside Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Jaji in the northern Kaduna state.

The blasts occurred in quick succession as the church was finishing the service. The second blast occurred at the same spot minutes after the first one had rocked the area. An officer described the incident as embarrassing because the bombers drove their way into a military cantonment without being detected. Military spokesman Lt-Col Muhammed Dole told PTI that 11 people had died in the attack and 30 others were injured.

"The injured are receiving treatment at military hospitals both in Jaji and Kaduna. Investigation into the bombings have commenced," he said on phone. Dole said the bombers struck after church services with the first car exploding inside the church premises, while the second bomb-laden car exploded outside with much casualties.

"Two suicide bombers exploded their bombs around 12.00 hours today using two cars at St Andrew Military Protestant Church after the church services. One exploded inside the church premises and the second one exploded outside the church," he said.

Describing the scene of the attack, another military officer said that just as initial chaos was settling in after the first explosion and people started gathering to help out, the second bomber exploded his car right in the midst of the survivors. Suspicion immediately fell on fundamentalist Islamic group, Boko Haram, which has been carrying out series of bombings in northern Nigeria.

The government of President Goodluck Jonathan has sent a special Joint Task Force (JTF) made up of police and army personnel to fight the group that has vowed to establish an Islamic caliphate in the region.

PTI