Deaths, Tears as Suicide Bomber Attack Bauchi Church

The ugly spectre of bombing of churches reared its head again on Sunday as a suicide bomber attacked St. John’s Catholic Cathedral in Wunti, Bauchi, directly across from the Bauchi Township Stadium around 9a.m.

The suicide bomber rammed an Opel Vectra sedan into the gate of the church during morning mass, killing himself, a woman and a child and injuring 46 others.

The suicide bomber, suspected to be a Boko Haram member, had tried to drive into the church but was deterred by the concrete barriers at the entrance.

He then rammed the car into the church’s gate.

The spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, Yushau Shuaib, who confirmed the development, said the dead and injured had been taken to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.

“Apart from the suspected suicide bomber who was killed by the explosion, a woman and a child also lost their lives after the incident. Twenty-two other injured victims are currently receiving medical treatment in hospital in Bauchi,” he said.

The spokesman for the state police command, Hassan Auyo, also confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria.

Bauchi has been hit by a number of bomb attacks and murders linked to the Boko Haram sect in the last few months.

More details later.