Billy Graham Abel, Yola
Two suicide bombers reported to have targeted St. Pius Catholic Church in Shuwa, Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State, have set off bombs but ended up killing themselves only.
Papka Medugu, a resident of Shuwa and a parishioner told our correspondent that suspected Boko Haram terrorists “targeted our church while the morning Mass was going on, but to God’s glory they both exploded before they could access the church.
“Vigilant Catholic cadet boys on patrol around the church vicinity prevented the bombers from gaining entry into the church, thereby forcing the explosives to detonate before getting to their target.
The Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Bishop Yola Catholic Diocese, Most Rev Stephen Dami Mamza, confirmed the attack saying “Catholic cadets stopped them at the main entrance.
“The bombers arrived 30 minutes into the Mass which started around 6:00am, when they could not access the church they detonated (the bomb), but thank God none of the cadets was hurt, only a grandmother and her grandson were shocked by the loud bang, but they have since left the hospital,” he said.
Mamza further explained that armed military personnel were drafted to the scene within minutes of the attack and have since cordoned off the area to recover possible unexploded devices.
Shuwa town is about 15 kilometres away from the Sambisa forest, a hiding place of the Islamic terrorists and it has witnessed sporadic attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents.
The PDP governorship candidate and main challenger in the governorship contest, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri is a native of Madagali.
Meanwhile, results of the governorship and Assembly elections have just started trickling in at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).