United Nations condemns Islamist violence in Nigeria
(Vatican Radio) The United Nations on Tuesday condemned the murder of more than 150
people in two states in Nigeria on Sunday. The Islamist group Boko Haram is accused
of being behind the attack. The group says it wants to establish an Islamic state
based on sharia law, and its attacks killed over twelve hundred people in 2013.
"We
condemn in the strongest terms Sunday's attack by gunmen against eight villages in
Adamawa and Borno States, which led to the death of more than 150 people,” said Ravina
Shamdasani is spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
in Geneva. “According to reports, about 65 persons were killed in seven villages in
Adamawa State, while some 90 others were killed in Izge village, Borno State. Many
residents have now fled the area for fear of further attacks by the armed men. We
are appalled by the extreme and indiscriminate violence which Nigeria has being witnessing
in recent times."
Meanwhile, the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima,
said the army is losing the war against the Islamist group.
``Given the present
state of affairs, it is absolutely impossible for us to defeat Boko Haram,'' he said.
The
Archbishop of Jos, Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, also said the authorities “have so far failed
to fulfill their task of ensuring peace and security to Nigerians in every area of
the country.”
Archbishop Kaigama, who also serves as the president of the Nigerian
Catholic bishops' conference, told the Fides news agency "the latest massacre in northern
Nigeria does not surprise me anymore, because Boko Haram follows a regular pattern,
aimed at terrorizing the population."
The Archbishop told Fides "we need to
go to the root of the phenomenon. "
"I think there are groups outside Nigeria
that offer sophisticated assistance to the Nigerian radical formations," he said.