5 die in Nigeria church attack

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Five persons have been confirmed dead in Sunday's suicide bombing of the Christ Chosen Church in Nigeria's central city of Jos and the reprisal attacks that followed, the military said in a statement.

The military Special Task Force (STF), deployed to the beleaguered city to maintain peace, said the suicide bomber was among the dead, while the others were believed to be victims of mob actions after the blast.

The statement said 28 worshippers were injured in by the blast, which brought down the church building.

The Pastor of the church, Monday Uzoka, his wife and two children were said to be among those injured.

The STF said the suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into the church during service.

On the reprisal attacks by Christians against Muslims in the city, STF said: “The general public is warned not to take the laws into their hands as any act of lawlessness would not be tolerated by the security agencies.”

Age-long clashes between Christians and Muslims in Plateau, of which Jos is capital, has made the state a tinderbox of ethnic and religious crisis.

Another attack against a church in Biu, in northern Borno state, about the same time o Sunday claimed one life and injured three, the police said.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks which, however, bore the hallmarks of the Islamic sect Boko Haram.
-0- PANA SEG 10June2012