A suicide car bombing outside a major church in central Nigeria Sunday killed at least three people and wounded more than three dozen others.

Authorities say the attack during services at the Church of Christ in Jos follows Friday's deadly attacks in two northern cities, which killed at least 17 people.

Sunday's attack came as a 24 hour curfew was ordered in the northeastern city of Gombe, the capital of Gombe state, where at least 12 people were killed at police headquarters on Friday. Police have not confirmed if all the victims were officers, but they do suspect members of the radical Islamic group Boko Haram are behind the attack. Authorities repelled a second attack at a prison.

Also Friday night, in the northwest city of Kano, police say gunmen on a motorcycle killed five worshippers at a mosque. No one has claimed responsibility, but officials believe Boko Haram is involved in the attack.

Boko Haram has waged violent attacks in its campaign to implement strict Islamic law across Nigeria, which is roughly divided between Muslims in the north and Christians in the south.

The radical group claimed responsibility for one of the deadliest attacks in Kano last month that killed 185 people. It also admitted to killing at least 44 people in a Christmas Day bombing at a Catholic church outside Abuja, Nigeria's capital.

Following the Christmas attack, President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in areas hard hit by violence blamed on Boko Haram.

Mr. Jonathan said the measure impacted parts of Yobe and Borno states in the northeast, Plateau state in central Nigeria, and Niger state in the east.

He said the temporary closure of borders in those areas was necessary to address security challenges and restore normalcy to the country.

The opposition has criticized the Jonathan administration for failing to control Boko Haram.