ABUJA, Nigeria, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- A round of Christmas Day bombings at Christian churches in Nigeria drew condemnations from the country's president and officials around the world.
The death toll from the blasts that ripped through Christmas services at a Roman Catholic church in Madalla, another church in Jos and police stations in three other towns had hit 40, Iran's Press TV reported.
A radical Muslim group called Boko Haram, which carried out five similar bombings last Christmas said it was behind the blast at St. Theresa's in Madalla, which is located near the capital Abuja, the BBC said.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan the attack in Madalla "an ugly incident," the This Day news Web site reported.
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"We are paying condolence to the families and victims of this act," he said. "We must not condone this irresponsible and dastardly act or allow the perpetrators to continue."
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement condemning the attacks "in the strongest terms."
"The secretary-general calls once again for an end to all acts of sectarian violence in the country and reiterates his firm conviction that no objective sought can justify this resort to violence," a statement released by a spokesman said.
In the United States, the office of White House press secretary Jay Carney issued a statement condemning "this senseless violence and tragic loss of life on Christmas Day."
"We offer our sincere condolences to the Nigerian people and especially those who lost family and loved ones," Carney said. "We have been in contact with Nigerian officials about what initially appear to be terrorist acts and pledge to assist them in bringing those responsible to justice."
The bombings also were condemned by the Vatican and by British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who called the incidents "cowardly attacks on families gathered in peace and prayer to celebrate a day which symbolizes harmony and goodwill towards others."
The BBC said the explosion in Jos carried potentially serious consequences since the city is located in a buffer zone between predominantly Muslim north of Nigeria and Christian south.
Jos has been the scene of sectarian violence that has left about 1,000 people dead in the past two years and was hit by a Christmas wave of bombings last year.
