By 13 hours 7 minutes ago
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All was set last night for the grim but inevitable duty – burial of victims of the Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State.
The burial of 18 people is billed for this morning at the church premises. The graves were dug last week.
Security was yesterday tightened around the church premises.
Of the 44 persons who died in the bombings, 26 were members of the church.
Eight bodies were claimed by their relations for burial. Two were claimed last night.
As the mass burial holds today, the Police are still on the trail of Kabiru Sokoto, one of the suspected masterminds of the blast.
There are fears that Sokoto might have escaped to a neighbouring country.
A source said: "We have tightened security and the frisking of the church premises and the burial site will be done all through the night."
About 200 policemen and soldiers, including those from anti-bomb units, have been drafted to Madalla to provide security during the burial.
A member of the Burial Committee, who spoke in confidence, said: "We have dug the graves for the burial of our parishioners who died in the explosions.
"We are expecting the Representative of the Pope in Nigeria and members of the Catholic Bishops Conference among other dignitaries at the burial.
"We have met with all security agencies to facilitate a hitch-free burial."
The mass burial service will be conducted by the representative of the Pope.
The ceremony, which was earlier slated for 9am, was shifted by an hour for the arrival of the College of Bishops of the church, who are being expected today from Bukina Faso, where they attended the just-concluded African Catholic Bishop Conference.
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