Suicide bomber strikes Catholic church in north Nigeria; 1 killed, 46 injured

A suicide car bomber attacked a Catholic church
conducting Mass in northern Nigeria on Sunday,
killing one person and wounding another 46 in a
region under assault by a radical Islamist sect,
officials said.
An Associated Press journalist heard the explosion
after 9 a.m. Sunday in the city of Bauchi, which has
seen a number of bombings and shootings blamed on
the sect known as Boko Haram. The blast appeared
to hit a parking lot alongside the St. John's Catholic
Church in the city.
Police and military surrounded the church and did not
allow journalists inside the cordon. Later at a nearby
hospital, Bauchi deputy police commissioner T.
Stevens told journalists told that the bomber had
been stopped at the church's gate, where he
detonated the explosives packed inside his car.
Doctors cautioned more could die from their injuries.
"The situation has been brought under control,"
Stevens said. "We have our men minding all areas."
Stevens said no group or individual had claimed
responsibility for the attack, though suspicion
immediately fell on Boko Haram.