A senior church leader in Nigeria has described the 'difficult' life being experienced by Christians in the country, as attacks on believers by militant Islamist group Boko Harem continue.
On a visit to the UK, President of the Church of Christ in Nations, Rev Dr Dachollom Datiri spoke to Premier's 'News Hour', he said:"It's been a very difficult time being a Christian in Nigeria, because the Church is being seriously persecuted. Scenes of attacks, destruction of houses and churches. Killing and maiming of Christians, abductions of people all over the place."
Five churches in a predominantly Christian area in the Southern Borno state were completely destroyed on Friday in the latest wave of violence carried out by the extremists who were responsible for abducting over 200 schoolgirls from a Christian village earlier this year.
According to anti-persecution organisation Christian Solidarity Worldwide no lives were lost in the attacks in Hawul; the second in less than a week, which have targeted both Christians and Muslims alike.
However, on July 26th, sect members reportedly murdered two people in the Shaffa who had fled to the area following a series of attacks on Damboa in June and July which claimed the lives of an army commander, a police officer, 5 policemen, 16 soldiers, and many civilians. According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen beheaded both victims, placing their severed heads on their chests before leaving.
The incidents came a day after suicide strikes on mosques in Yobe state, which claimed at least 13 lives.The first occurred at a centre belonging to the Izala sect and was detonated just as prayer was commencing. The second bomber targeted a mosque attached to the family home of Potiskum's Chief Imam. A day earlier, Boko Haram gunmen had stormed Katarko Town in Yobe State, killing at least eight people and abducting Muslim cleric Sheriff Ali, his wife and two other people.
CSW believe suicide bombings are re-emerging as a favoured tactic, including a new component of attacks by young female bombers. Kano State has witnessed four such attacks in less than a week, the last occurring on 30 July, when a girl aged around 18 detonated a device at the Islamic Legal Studies College in Kano State Polytechnic, killing 16 students as they checked a noticeboard. Also on 30 July, police in Funtua Town, Katsina State, police arrested two suspected Boko Haram members travelling with a 10 year old girl who was wearing a suicide explosives belt.
Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), said: "We extend our heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones in these appalling attacks. Boko Haram continues to commit war crimes by wilfully destroying churches and pursing a relentless campaign of religious cleansing against Christian communities in southern Borno. Moreover, the sect has illustrated once again its disregard for every religion and for the sanctity of human life, not only by targeting the innocent as they pray, but also by indoctrinating vulnerable girls for use as disposable commodities to fulfill its murderous purposes".
Fears have been raised that the schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram militants earlier this year are now being used as suicide bombers.
President of the Church of Christ in Nations, Rev Dr Dachollom Datiri: