The blood of Christians never ceases to spill in Islamic lands.

SULEIJA, Nigeria — An explosion near a church outside the Nigerian capital on Sunday killed at least three people, officials said, the latest of a spate of deadly blasts to hit Africa’s most populous nation.

The military meanwhile said it had killed 11 alleged members of an Islamist sect blamed for a series of attacks in a shootout in the northeastern city of Maiduguri on Saturday night, but residents alleged soldiers shot civilians.

Sunday’s explosion outside the All Christian Fellowship Mission was in the town of Suleija, which was also the target of a deadly bomb attack at an electoral office on the eve of April’s parliamentary elections.

Police initially reported two people dead, but a Red Cross official later put the death toll at three, with seven critically wounded.

Church pastor Joseph Olowosagba said services had ended, but some members were still inside when the explosion went off outside of a window.