LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — A suicide car bomber struck on a busy road on Sunday morning after apparently turning away from attacking Nigerian churches holding Easter services, killing at least 38 people in a huge blast that rattled a city long at the center of religious, ethnic and political violence in the nation.

The blast struck Kaduna, the capital of Kaduna State, leaving charred motorcycles and debris strewn across a major road where many gather to eat at informal restaurants and buy black-market gasoline. Nearby hotels and homes had their windows blown out and roofs torn away by the force of the explosion, which engulfed a group of motorcycle taxis.

The explosion badly damaged two nearby churches during an Easter service. Witnesses said it appeared that the driver of the explosive-laden car had attempted to drive it into the churches’ compound before it detonated, but was blocked by barriers in the street and turned away by a security guard as the police approached.

“We were in the Holy Communion service, and I was exhorting my people, and all of a sudden we heard a loud noise that shattered all our windows and doors, destroyed our fans and some of our equipment in the church,” said Joshua Raji, a church pastor.