Easter Bomb Blast Kills At Least 38 in Nigeria
- Posted on April 8, 2012 at 8:33am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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People gather at the site of a bomb explosion at a road in Kaduna, Nigeria on Sunday, April 8, 2012. An explosion struck Sunday in Kaduna central Nigeria that has seen hundreds killed in religious and ethnic violence in recent years, causing unknown injuries as diplomats had warned of possible terrorist attacks over the Easter holiday, police said.(AP Photos/Emma Kayode)
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — A car bomb exploded along a busy roadway Sunday morning in a central Nigeria city, killing at least 38 people in the latest attack on a region beset by religious, ethnic and political violence, an official said.
The blast struck Kaduna, the capital of Kaduna state, leaving charred motorcycles and debris strewn across a major road in the city where many gather to eat at informal restaurants and buy black market gasoline. Nearby hotels had their windows blown out of by the force of the powerful explosion, which engulfed a group of motorcycle taxmen.
At least 38 people were killed in the blast, said Abubakar Zakari Adamu, a spokesman for the Kaduna state Emergency Management Agency. Others suffered serious injuries and were receiving treatment at local hospitals, Adamu said.
The explosion badly damaged the nearby All Nations Christian Assembly Church as churchgoers worshipped at an Easter service, the possible target of the bomber. Witnesses said it appeared the explosive-laden car attempted to go into the compound of that church before it detonated.
“We were in the holy communion service and I was exhorting my people and all of a sudden, we heard a loud noise that shattered all our windows and doors, destroyed our fans and some of our equipment in the church,” Pastor Joshua Raji said.
Another witness, Augustine Vincent, said he was riding a motorcycle just behind the car when it exploded.
“God saw our heart and saved us,” he said.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, though suspicion immediately fell on a radical Islamist sect known as Boko Haram.
Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is sacrilege” in the Hausa language of Nigeria’s north, is waging an increasingly bloody fight with security agencies and the public. More than 380 people have been killed in violence blamed on the sect this year alone, according to an Associated Press count.
The sect, employing suicide bombers and assault-rifle shootouts, has attacked both Christians and Muslims, as well as the United Nations’ headquarters in Nigeria.
The sect has rejected efforts to begin indirect peace talks with Nigeria’s government. Its demands include the introduction of strict Shariah law across the country, even in Christian areas, and the release of all imprisoned followers.
The blast also comes as the United Kingdom and the United States had warned its citizens living in the oil-rich nation that violence was likely over the Easter holiday.
Kaduna, on Nigeria’s dividing line between its largely Christian south and Muslim north, was at the heart of postelection violence in April 2011. Mobs armed with machetes and poison-tipped arrows took over streets of Kaduna and the state’s rural countryside after election officials declared President Goodluck Jonathan the winner. Followers of his main opponent, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim, quickly alleged the vote had been rigged, though observers largely declared the vote fair.
Across the nation, at least 800 people died in that rioting, Human Rights Watch said. In the time since, heavily armed soldiers remain on guard on roadways throughout Kaduna. In December, an explosion at an auto parts market in Kaduna killed at least seven people. Though authorities said it came from a leaking gas cylinder, the Nigerian Red Cross later said in an internal report the blast came from a bomb.
In February, bombs exploded at two major military bases near the city, injuring an unknown number of people.
In his Easter speech at the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI mentioned the ongoing violence in Nigeria. Catholic churches have been targeted in previous attacks.
“To Nigeria, which in recent times has experienced savage terrorist attacks, may the joy of Easter grant the strength needed to take up anew the building of a society which is peaceful and respectful of the religious freedom of its citizens,” he said.
This post has been updated since it was first published.
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Future Hope
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 12:13pmHey, heres a great place for the new black panthers to move to. Permanantly!
Report Post »chips1
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 10:08pmIf Obama had listened to Koko instead of Ayers, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Koko is so much more evolved.
Report Post »bjornskis
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 9:34pmahhhhhhhhhh those fun loving ever so tolerant mu slims
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 7:55pmHappy Easter from Muhammad, the pedophile prophet.
Report Post »Glock31
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 6:58pmah, those peace loving muslims!
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 8:00pmWe should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.
Report Post »– Ann Coulter
Latter-Day-Soldier
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 1:04pm@ Disenlightened:
“Maybe we should offer them a comfy chair….with a cushion!”
“NO-ONE EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!!” :-]
Report Post »LfsJrnyIsALngRd
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 5:57pm…attack on a region beset by RELIGIOUS, ETHNIC and POLITICAL violence, an official said.
Sounds eerily familiar to what we see transpiring in the U.S…
May GOD comfort those who’ve been injured/lost…and the families left behind.
Report Post »LfsJrnyIsALngRd
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 5:46pm…attack on a region beset by RELIGIOUS, ETHNIC and POLITICAL violence, an official said.
Sounds eerily similar to what we see transpiring in the U.S…
May GOD comfort those who’ve been injured/lost, and for the families left behind…
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 5:38pmHow utterly horrific it is to have to live with Muslims. Why in the world is the West willingly allowing the spread of Islam within our borders? If the spread of Islam is not stopped in the West will WILL with 100% assurance have massacres of Christians on Easter in America eventually.
Report Post »RinkyDink34
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 4:48pmDon’t cha just love them oh so Peaceful Moozlum degenerates; and to think we have one in the White-house.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 3:38pmIs that a photo of Detroit ?
Report Post »sillyfreshness
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 3:08pmIslam is a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very peaceful religion.
Report Post »sillyfreshness
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 3:10pmIn fact the world “Islam” means ‘peace’
A common myth is Islam means “submit” but no, it actually means ‘peace, love, kindness’ and any other kind of BS you can think of that the Bolshevik media and government has brainwashed into us.
Report Post »Wildape
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 3:31pmYeah yeah, I’ve heard it said that 90% of Muslims are not terrorists and are good people. I’m sure that is true but it is the 10% who aren’t that need a decent ass beating. Islam has NOTHING to offer humanity. It is a mental disease, not a religion.
Report Post »jacques.daspy
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 3:46pmWILDAPE: Please don’t go round speakin ill of the mentally ill. Some us have acquired the government issued variety in the service of our country.
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 5:35pmNot only that, but in the Koran where it says “kill the infidels” it actually doesn’t mean kill the infidels, it means “be very nice to infidels, kill them with kindness…” So all of the millions of people killed by the Muslims in the last 1400 years died for no reason, it is all a big mixup.
Report Post »AncientKnight
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 2:55pmThe Nigerian towns look alot better than most black project hoods in America.
Report Post »jacques.daspy
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 3:50pmThe residents of the designated tribal reserves are more into shootn’ and killn,‘ blowin’ up stuff is too dangerous to the ninth graders that are more adept at shootin’ because the guns are factory made and not assembled by amateurs.
Report Post »IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 2:31pmHappy Easter to All…
It is such a tragedy to hear about the hate that so extends our earth. I pray to God to heal the survivors and help those who are in pain in losing a loved one. I cannot understand why evil tries to overtake good all the time. It may concede at times but pain will someday afflict the guilty whether in conscience or body. We all need in a belief that is good. Don’t let hate ravage your body so you no longer can do what is right. God is always there for you to talk to so use the communication for good not evil. Lets get the world back on track. Love to you all Hate to no one.
Report Post »Wildape
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 3:20pmReally?`
Report Post »Wildape
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 3:24pmReally? I have a strong belief that evil has an allergic reaction to lead. Hand wringing seems to make it stronger.
Report Post »qzak491
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 1:47pmWith all that is going on in the world. With all the evil. Today is a day to celebrate the risen LORD. HAPPY EASTER ALL
Report Post »pavepaws
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 2:09pmSenseless.
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 6:53pmMuhammad and Islam deny that Christ rose from the dead, they don’t even believe he died on the cross. Islam stands in eternal opposition to Christ and everything He stood for. It isn’t just plain old evil that drives Islam, it is pure Satanic hate, straight from Satan himself, a final drive to oppose the God of the Bible until the Second Coming when Islam will be destroyed.
Report Post »jlcook
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 1:31pmComing to an inner city near you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Easter everyone.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 10:39amThere was a matter on the UK news services about former armed forces of Libya having scattered to join the terror groups after the fall of Quadafi; I wonder how many may have become trouble in the area of Nigeria?
Report Post »Thevoice
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 2:21pmSnowleopard ….Really this does not get the attention it should..Interesting just days after the “Muslim Brotherhood” did their sit down with closet commie Obama and his gang of “New age progressive commies” a new offensive started on their part. Now in control of North Africa from Libya, Egypt, the Sudan across the Shara desert and pushing (of course killing, raping, torturing,and forcing) their way through the rest of Africa. Yesterday on the other story I commented we are now right back to when Patton and Montgomery went in to kick Hitler out of North Africa. Of course that was a time men still had principle and fought evil ..By defeating it to surrender and victory This time under the disguise of “Religion” there will be no stopping the evil. And to think this country actually aided this …The blood of every innocent “Black”( in the right and wrong department color doesn’t matter doing the right thing does) helpless person there is on Obama’s hands…Not only that since they took Egypt Israel has been watching them move arms into Gaza. Guess they had to test some the other day (call it Muslim terror training purposes) ..I am just preaching to the choir ..God willing the good among us will not loose communication…God bless….He has risen… have a blessed Easter.. Everyone
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 9:05am.
Happy Easter Everybody…..
He is Risen….
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 9:13amHappy Easter…
Report Post »momrules
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 9:59amHappy Easter Spank, to you and yours.
Report Post »USAMEDIC3008
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 11:45amHappy Passover
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 9:03am“…a radical Islamist sect known as Boko Haram” is not considered to be Buku Dinky Dau by appeasers and apologists right here in the good old U.S. of A.
It’s the religion of peace… don’tcha know??
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 9:18amWe Conservatives have to keep trying to “teach” voters (and future voters) that Obama, Ron Paul and those like them that will continue to follow their particular politaical mantra are dangerous and have very similar views of America’s position in the world, choosing to blame America for 9/11 instead of the Islamist terrorists, and think by appeasing the enemy we can all sit down and “play nice.”
Report Post »momrules
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 8:53amWhen will people accept that talking to these people does not work? They do not want peace, they want and will accept nothing less than complete domination and subjugation of all that oppose them.
Report Post »SoupSammich
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 9:00amHmm. Probably two Tulsa skinheads and religion had nothing to do with it. Good time to air drop Al and Jesse right into the midst to straighten it out and resist they much.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 9:02am.
Report Post »Mom for some reason I think they will skip your house…..lol…….
momrules
Posted on April 8, 2012 at 10:00amAh Spank, I do hope so………..
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