Nigeria's Christians Condemn Ongoing Attacks
The largest Christian body in Nigeria issued a statement Friday that condemned the recent attacks against Christians that began Christmas weekend.
In the past week, six people were killed in assaults on churches in the northern town of Maiduguri on Christmas Eve and a series of bombings in Jos killed at least 32 people the same day. But sectarian conflicts that resulted from the Jos bombings have raised the death toll to more than 80 people.
On Thursday, another eight people were killed, including three policemen, by suspected Islamists in Maiduguri.
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"These acts of violence and arson against peace loving and law abiding Christians and our churches ... must stop now as churches are not political/party offices," stated the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in a statement.
The group added, "There is a limit to human tolerance."
CAN has asked its members to fast on Jan. 1 and the first of each month for peace and unity.
At a mass funeral Friday for 16 victims of the Christmas Eve blasts, Plateau State Chairman of CAN, the Rev. Phillip Dafes, lamented that not more has been done by security forces to check on attacks against Christians.
"It is quite disheartening to note that since the unprovoked attacked on Christians started in Nigeria, no genuine result has come out of the investigation of the issues. In fact, when Christians are attacked in some states it's no longer news to the media," said Dafes, as reported by Nigerian-based news outlet Vanguard.
Boko Haram, a radical Islamic group which wants sharia law imposed throughout Nigeria, is suspected of Thursday's attack. The sect has already claimed responsibility for the Christmas Eve attacks.
Police said they have arrested 92 suspected members of the radical Islamic sect, of which one, Bunu Wasili, is suspected to be a founding member and financier of Boko Haram, according to The Associated Press.
