Nigeria: Woman suicide bomber blows up church killing five people

A female suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in the centre of a packed evangelical Christian church in Nigeria.

Five bodies from the explosion were at the morgue of the local hospital said an AP reporter, where the wounded were being treated.

The attack, on Sunday 5 July, is the latest in a number of shooting raids and bombings blamed on the Islamic group Boko Haram in which more than 200 people have been killed in the last week.

Around 100 men and boys praying in a mosque were gunned down on Wednesday 1 July.

Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack as barbaric and said it underlined the need for a larger multinational army to fight back against extremists.

On Saturday 4 July, the Nigerian military said "scores" of people were killed when six Boko Haram suicide bombers attacked a village near Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.

The death toll could rise as officials began the task of identifying and accounting for body parts, leaving the exact number of bodies difficult to ascertain. Children are also believed to be among the dead.

Explosive experts in Zabamari village "are continuing with vigorous search for any bombs that might have been hidden or left unexploded in the area", Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade said in a CNN report.

He added that "offensive operations" against the Islamist militant group were "continuing in various fronts", including an "additional deployment of men and equipment to enhance the scope of the mission."

Zabarmari is near the city of Maiduguri, which is considered a Boko Haram stronghold. There have been a number of suicide attacks in the region, many committed by women.