PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
'16 die in Nigeria blast' (Update)
Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Sixteen people died and 35 were injured in Sunday's blast in Nigeria's northern city of Kaduna, according to the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
SEMA Spokesman Abubakar Adamu Zakari said five bodies were deposited at the Rekia Hospital, where 4 injured persons are being treated; six bodies were taken to the Barau Dikko Hospital, where another six are being treated for injuries, while five bodies were at St. Gerard Hospital, where five wounded persons are being treated.
Also, Zakari said 20 injured persons were being treated at the ''44 Hospital'', a military referral institution.
He said the figure of the dead could rise, as most of the 35 wounded people were in critical condition.
A 2003 Honda Accord car in which the bomb was placed detonated while it was being driven by two persons at Sardauna Crescent junction along the Ahmadu Bello Way Sunday morning, as Christian faithful were in church celebrating the Easter.
There are speculations that the bomb detonated prematurely when a vehicle rammed into the Honda, and that the bombers had not reached their target.
The explosion occurred some 500 metres from a cluster of churches, including the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) and the Assemblies of God Church, but none of the churches was said to have been affected by the blast.
However, it left over 20 motorcycles mangled.
The Sardauna Crescent junction is the popular spot for commercial motorcyclists, who go there to patronize tea vendors, bean cake as well as palm date sellers. They also stay there to pick passengers.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, which bears the trademark of the Islamic sect Boko Haram.
The sect usually carries out high profile attacks during key Christian and Muslim holidays.
A similar attack on a Catholic Church near the capital city of Abuja last Christmas Day left over 40 dead.
-0- PANA SEG 8April2012
SEMA Spokesman Abubakar Adamu Zakari said five bodies were deposited at the Rekia Hospital, where 4 injured persons are being treated; six bodies were taken to the Barau Dikko Hospital, where another six are being treated for injuries, while five bodies were at St. Gerard Hospital, where five wounded persons are being treated.
Also, Zakari said 20 injured persons were being treated at the ''44 Hospital'', a military referral institution.
He said the figure of the dead could rise, as most of the 35 wounded people were in critical condition.
A 2003 Honda Accord car in which the bomb was placed detonated while it was being driven by two persons at Sardauna Crescent junction along the Ahmadu Bello Way Sunday morning, as Christian faithful were in church celebrating the Easter.
There are speculations that the bomb detonated prematurely when a vehicle rammed into the Honda, and that the bombers had not reached their target.
The explosion occurred some 500 metres from a cluster of churches, including the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) and the Assemblies of God Church, but none of the churches was said to have been affected by the blast.
However, it left over 20 motorcycles mangled.
The Sardauna Crescent junction is the popular spot for commercial motorcyclists, who go there to patronize tea vendors, bean cake as well as palm date sellers. They also stay there to pick passengers.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, which bears the trademark of the Islamic sect Boko Haram.
The sect usually carries out high profile attacks during key Christian and Muslim holidays.
A similar attack on a Catholic Church near the capital city of Abuja last Christmas Day left over 40 dead.
-0- PANA SEG 8April2012
