Abuja, Dec 25: At least 28 people were killed today in two powerful blasts that targeted churches in Nigeria during the Christmas services, amid a series of attacks in the country's north that claimed nearly 70 lives.
 In the first blast, 27 people were killed and many more injured when St Theresa's Church in Madalla near capital Abuja was targeted, media reports said.
 Boko Haram claimed the responsibility for the explosion, which came amid gunbattles between militants and the military in northern Nigeria.
 Shortly afterwards, a second explosion rocked a church in the central city of Jos, killing at least one person.
 The explosions followed a slew of strikes by militants, who attacked several northern cities with explosives and gunfire as soldiers and police went in pursuit.
 The country's chief of army staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika, said yesterday that the attacks started on Thursday by militants of the Boko Haram sect which wants to impose Sharia law in the region.
 Nearly 70 people have reportedly died in days of fighting between Nigerian forces and suspected gunmen in the country's north-east.
 However, different security sources gave varied casualty figures, and eye witnesses said the number of dead could surpass 100.
 Boko Haram had also carried out an August 2011 suicide attack on the UN headquarters in Abuja, in which more than 20 people were killed.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 25 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 25 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 26 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST