A series of explosions near churches during Christmas Day services in Nigeria have killed dozens of people.

At least 40 people have been killed in at least five attacks, including those on the outskirts of capital Abuja where hundreds had gathered for a Christmas service.

Militant Islamic group Boko Haram, which is locked in a bloody struggle with authorities, says it is responsible three of the bombings.

The group is also responsible for the scores of bomb blasts and shootings that have rocked Nigeria.

The first bomb went off near the St Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, near the capital.

The scene degenerated into chaos after the explosion, with angry youths starting fires and threatening to attack a nearby police station.

Police shot into the air to disperse them and closed a major highway.

A priest at the church says the community has been devastated.

"So many families gone. The household, whole households, gone," he said.

In a swift response, a Vatican spokesman condemned that attack as an act of "blind hatred" which sought "to arouse and feed even more hatred and confusion".

A bomb blast later hit outside an evangelical church hundreds of kilometres away in the central city of Jos, followed by gunfire that left a police officer dead.

A further three explosions in the country's north killed four people, including security officials.

Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan condemned the attacks, pledging to bring the perpetrators to justice.

"These acts of violence against innocent citizens are an unwarranted affront on our collective safety and freedom," Mr Jonathan said.

"Nigerians must stand as one to condemn them."

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the August suicide bombing of UN headquarters in Abuja that killed at least 24 people. There have been a number of attacks in Suleija area, also outside Abuja.

A string of bomb blasts in the central city of Jos on Christmas Eve 2010 were claimed by Boko Haram.

ABC/wires