8 die, 145 injured in Nigeria church bombing - NEMA (2nd Update)

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Eight persons were killed while 145 others were injured on Sunday when a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into the gates of St. Rita's Catholic Church in Nigeria's northern Kaduna State, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said in a statement.

According to the statement, signed by NEMA's Kaduna spokesman Aliyu Muhammed, some of the injured persons are in critical condition, an indication that the number of those killed in the early morning blast could increase.

Those killed included the lone suicide bomber.

Earlier, the State's Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olufemi Adenaike, said ''scores of worhippers'' were killed in the attack.

No person or group has claimed responsibility for the bombing which, however, bore the hallmarks of the violent Islamic sect Boko Haram.

Boko Haram, which means Western Education is sin, has claimed responsibility for previous suicide bombing of churches in the predominantly-Muslim northern Nigeria.

The sect has killed over 1,500 people in gun and bomb attacks since 2009, when it launched its violent campaign, according to Human Right Watch.

The New York-based rights group said the sect may be guilty of crimes against humanity by the ''widespread and systematic'' way it has carried out its attacks.
-0- PANA SEG 28Oct2012