Madalla village Church blast - A high calibre explosive device deployed in a car yesterday blasted and killed about 27 people including 2 policemen at a church in Madalla village, Niger state. The blast occurred around 8pm along Madalla-Suleja road in front of the St, Theresa’s Catholic Church shortly after morning service. The blast left a deep crater on the road and tossed the vehicle it was  deployed in, to the frontage of the Church with a loud sound and destroying nearby buildings and some sections of the church. The explosion torched and damaged five vehicles leaving the church at the time and two other moving vehicles along the road.

The senior pastor in the church, Very Reverend Father Isaac Achi said the blast occurred while worshippers were leaving the church after service. “My assistant, Revered Father Christopher Barde Jatau who headed the service while I was in one of our branches nearby, said 12  worshippers in three vehicles were instantly killed by the blast and the vehicles were destroyed. Another unidentified body was recovered  on the roof of a house adjacent to the church. I was informed reliably that 6 other victims were at Gwagwalada hospital while many other in Suleja hospital.”

He said the church was targeted but no individual or group is being suspected of carrying out the attack. He said government should identify the perpetrators who are by their actions not true nationalists. He however said the church security have arrested two people including a teenage boy and handed them over to the police.

An eye witness who would not want to be named said he counted ten corpses in front of church burnt beyond recognition. He said the explosives laden-vehicle stopped on the road and the policemen attached to the church including an inspector went towards it asking the driver some questions.

“The driver said the vehicle broke down and he should be assisted to push it away from the road. Suddenly the explosives were detonated and both the driver and the policemen were killed,” the witness said.

Written by Misbahu Bashir

Daily Trust/26/12/2011