Nigeria: Eight Christians arrested in plan to blow up own church

Police in northern Nigeria have arrested eight Christians suspected of trying to blow up a rival faction of their own church, Reuters is reporting.

The suspects were found carrying explosives and other weapons at the Evangelical Church of West Africa in the city of Bauchi.

"Some people attempted to attack the ECWA Church. It was a rival group within the church," Police Commissioner Ikechukwu Ayo Aduba told the news agency.

The arrests were made just hours after the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) in the volatile of Jos in central Plateau state was bombed.  At least three people were killed and 38 injured.

More from GlobalPost: Nigeria church bombing kills three in Jos

Nigeria's The Nation newspaper reports that that the President Goodluck Johnson has condemned that attack.

Quoting from a statement released by the Presidential Spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, the President had expressed his condolences to the victims.

"Those who seek to divide us by fear and terror will not succeed," the statement read. " Government is gradually and firmly bringing justice to those behind these attacks and exposing their identities and dismantling their terror infrastructure."

AFP said that the Islamist militant sect Boko Haram had claimed responsibility for the attack and warned of more violence.

More from GlobalPost: Nigeria – Boko Haram violence threatens nation

“We carried out the attack on COCIN church in Jos today and we did what we did as part of our resolve to avenge the killings and dehumanization of Muslims in Jos in the last 10 years,” spokesman Abul Qaqa is quoted as telling reporters in a conference call.