Madalla Christmas bombing

On Christmas Day 2011, a bomb exploded outside St. Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State, during morning mass, killing at least 37 people and injuring dozens more. The attack occurred as worshippers were leaving the church after Christmas service, with the explosive device detonating near the church entrance. Boko Haram, the Islamist militant group, claimed responsibility for the bombing as part of a coordinated series of Christmas Day attacks across northern Nigeria.

The Madalla bombing occurred during a period of escalating violence by Boko Haram, which had intensified its insurgency since 2009. The group had increasingly targeted Christian churches, government buildings, and security forces as part of its campaign to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria. By 2011, the militants had expanded their tactics to include suicide bombings and coordinated attacks, particularly targeting religious gatherings and symbols of the Nigerian state in the northern regions.