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Blast hits Nigeria church during Christmas service Blast hits Nigeria church during Christmas service
(40 minutes later)
A bomb blast has ripped through a Catholic church near the Nigerian capital, Abuja, causing deaths and injuries, officials say. At least 10 people have been killed and many more injured in a bomb blast at a Catholic church near the Nigerian capital Abuja, officials say.
The blast tore through St Theresa's Church in Madalla as worshippers gathered for Christmas services.The blast tore through St Theresa's Church in Madalla as worshippers gathered for Christmas services.
An emergency official told reporters the authorities did not have enough ambulances to cope. An emergency official told reporters that the authorities were struggling to cope with the casualties.
Security has been high after violence between Islamist gunmen and soldiers in northern Nigeria.Security has been high after violence between Islamist gunmen and soldiers in northern Nigeria.
But the BBC's Fidelis Mbah in Lagos says no trouble had been expected in the capital.But the BBC's Fidelis Mbah in Lagos says no trouble had been expected in the capital.
National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) spokesman Yushau Shuaibu told Reuters news agency the authorities were struggling to deal with the incident. National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) spokesman Yushau Shuaibu told the BBC that the explosion had happened in the street outside the church.
"We are presently evacuating the dead and the injured, but unfortunately we don't have enough ambulances. Most of our ambulances have gone to operate on the major highways of the country," he said. But he said the church had been badly affected by the blast, and the number of dead was likely to rise.
Islamist conflict
Earlier he told Reuters news agency: "We are presently evacuating the dead and the injured, but unfortunately we don't have enough ambulances.
"Most of our ambulances have gone to operate on the major highways of the country."
Witnesses said windows of nearby houses had been shattered by the explosion.Witnesses said windows of nearby houses had been shattered by the explosion.
Officials at the local hospital said the condition of many of the injured was serious, and they were seeking help from bigger medical facilities.
No group has said it carried out the attack.
The security forces this week have been battling militants from the Boko Haram group, an organisation that wants to impose an extreme brand of Islamic law on the whole country.
Dozens have been killed in gun battles, but the violence has been in the far north of the country, hundreds of miles from Abuja.
Sectarian violence is rare in the capital.
A January 2011 bomb blast at a bar near a barracks Abuja was blamed on Islamists.
While most of the population across northern Nigeria is Muslim, the south is largely made up of Christians.
Are you in the area? Did you witness the explosion? You can contact the BBC using the form below:Are you in the area? Did you witness the explosion? You can contact the BBC using the form below: