Nigerian bishops say anger, hatred after bombings is at dangerous level

(June 27, 2012) Nigeria's Catholic bishops expressed concern that anger and hatred are growing among Christian and Muslim communities and have reached a dangerous level, following a spate of church bombings believed to be carried out by a fundamentalist Islamic sect. "These are sad days for Nigeria and for all Nigerians," the bishops said in a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday. "We feel greatly pained by the violent events which have become almost daily occurrences" they added. The statement, signed by Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, and Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins of Lagos, lamented the lack of security for Christians despite mounting attacks. Calling upon all Nigerians to defuse the rising tensions, the bishops also urged the government to step up its actions to protect all people from violence. The bishops also condemned reprisal attacks on Muslim communities. The most recent incidents occurred June 17 when 45 people were reported killed, after four churches in Zaria and Kaduna were bombed. Afterward, Christian mobs carried out reprisal attacks on Muslims. The bishops commended Muslim leaders for condemning the violence. "But it is not enough to issue verbal condemnation of terrorist activities," the statement said. "There is need for concrete and pro-active action to call to order those responsible and to make them desist from causing any further havoc on our nation in the name of religion."