the death toll of the Easter day bombing of a busy area of Kaduna state by the Boko Haram sect has risen to 38.A private car laden with explosive devices, which eyewitnesses say may have been targeted at the worshippers
of the All Nation Christ Assembly Church in the city, who were celebrating the Easter, exploded at the Sardauna Crescent, near the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna. The area is also described as a mini-market which is filled with restaurants where commercial motorcycle riders go to take local foods.
According to the witnesses, the car which contained the bombs exploded and completely tore into pieces immediately its occupants disembarked from the car probably because they realised bomb was going to detonate.
Abubakar Zakari Adamu, a spokesman for the Kaduna state Emergency Management Agency, confirmed that at least 38 people were killed in the blast, adding that injured victims of the attack are currently receiving treatment at local hospitals which residents of the area said belong to the Catholic Church.
The attack left charred bodies of people in the area as well as commercial motorcycles. Hotels had their windows blown out of by the force of the powerful explosion, while the All Nations Christian Assembly Church was badly destroyed.
Pastor Joshua Raji of the All Nations Christian Assembly Church explained that "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."
One of the victims currently in the hospital said he and his colleagues were chatting while some others were taking ‘pap’ when they heard a sudden sound and "by the time we got conscious, we saw pieces of human flesh littered everywhere.”
Earlier in his Easter speech at the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI mentioned the on-going violence in Nigeria as the Catholic churches in the country have not also been spared of attacks by the dreaded Boko Haram sect.
According to the Pope, "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."
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