BAUCHI, NIGERIA (ANS) -- At least two people died and over 40 were injured on Sunday, September 23, 2012, in a suicide bomb attack on St. John's Catholic Cathedral, Murtala Mohammed Way, in the Bayan Gari area of Bauchi Town.

The bomb going off by St. John's Catholic Cathedral

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), the suicide bomber is reported to have detonated his explosives at the church gate after being refused entry into the grounds at around 9 am. The bomber, a woman and a child are confirmed to have died at the scene, while many others are hospitalized with life threatening injuries.

“This is the second attack on Christians in Bauchi Town within the space of a week. Last Sunday, four gunmen in a tricycle descended on the Zongo area, firing indiscriminately at a building where people generally gather in the evening to relax and play cards. At least five people were killed on the spot, while four died later in hospital,” said a CSW spokesperson.

Local sources describe a growing sense of panic in Bauchi Town, with several claiming the state’s government is not doing enough to safeguard the lives and property of Bauchi's Christian community.

The devastation after the explosion

In a comment to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, the Anglican Bishop of Bauchi, the Rt. Revd Musa Tula, said: “Unfortunately, this is an ongoing situation in Bauchi State. Christians are attacked on a weekly basis. We need prayers because real protection can only come from God. We urgently need prayers from our brethren around the world for the peace of Bauchi State.”

CSW’s Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said: “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the attacks that have occurred in the last week in Bauchi Town. We also pray for a speedy recovery for those injured in these appalling acts of violence. However, it is regrettable that Christian communities in Bauchi remain extremely vulnerable and are in urgent need of effective protection. We urge the state government to implement comprehensive, long-term security arrangements to guarantee the safety of innocent civilians and halt these attacks, which are now occurring with alarming regularity.”

Note: Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organisation working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.

For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, email kiri@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.

Dan Wooding, 71, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 49 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and he hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on the KWVE Radio Network in Southern California and which is also carried throughout the United States and around the world. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries. Dan recently received two top media awards -- the “Passion for the Persecuted” award from Open Doors US, and as one of the top “Newsmakers of 2011” from Plain Truth magazine. He is the author of some 45 books, the latest of which is “Caped Crusader: Rick Wakeman in the 1970s.” To order a copy, go to: http://www.amazon.com/CAPED-CRUSADER-Rick-Wakeman-1970s/dp/1908728302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335474883&sr=1-1 .