Category Archives: Nigeria

Nigeria: Two bombs explode near Christian churches

by Claudia

Again churches are the target of Islamists:

Two roadside bombs, both of low power, exploded near Christian places of worship in the city of Jos, Nigeria, home to several Islamist sects’ leaders. The first exploded on the night of Saturday near a Baptist church which was no longer used, after being previously damaged by the Islamists. A second bomb exploded Sunday morning near two Protestant churches: the Church of Christ of Nigeria (COCIN) and a place of worship of the Assemblies of God. The areas where these temples are located, are now mostly inhabited by Muslims. Christians have fleed the area because of the insecurity that the Islamists have brought to the area and have recently killed five Christians. These acts of Islamic terrorism seems to attempt to “cleanse” these areas of any Christian presence.

via Deux bombes explosent près de lieux de culte chrétiens à Jos au Nigéria | Observatoire de la christianophobie.

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Nigeria : 2nd church bombing in Nigerian city

by Claudia

A bomb was thrown at a Protestant church in the central Nigerian city of Suleja on the evening of July 11 as a prayer service was being held. No one was injured in the attack, though the bomb damaged the church’s walls.

The attack follows a July 10 church bombing in the same city; three died in the first attack.

The militant Islamist group Boko Haram–which means “Western education is sin”–is suspected in the attacks.

via Catholic Culture : Latest Headlines : 2nd church bombing in Nigerian city.

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Nigeria: Protestant Church bombed, Boko Haram suspected

by Claudia

A bomb exploded outside a Protestant church in the central Nigerian city of Suleija on July 10, killing three. The militant Islamist group Boko Haram–which means “Western education is sin”–is suspected.

In the northeastern Nigerian city of Maidiguri, churches were closed on July 10 following a shootout between police and members of Boko Haram, which had reportedly threatened to target churches that day.

via Catholic Culture : Latest Headlines : Church bombing in Nigeria.

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Nigerian Archbishop: “No Muslim can continue to assert that terrorism has nothing to do with Islam”

by Claudia

His name is His Excellency Mons. John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan Archbishop of Abuja and he has been interviewed by Catholic agency Fides after the first suicide terrorist attack in the country:

“The extremists are a challenge to all Nigerians and especially for the Nigerian Muslim community. No Muslim can continue to assert that terrorism has nothing to do with Islam. I am a man of peace and dialogue, I always tell my Muslims that they should isolate the extremists that are present in their communities. It is not enough to say ‘they do not belong to us’, concrete steps to identify and isolate those who are not in line with their activities with the good of the country and the good of Islam itself are needed“, remarked Mgr.Onaiyekan.

The sect is particularly active in the north. A few days ago, the Cathedral of Maiduguri was seriously damaged in an attack claimed by Boko Haram (see Fides 14/6/2011). “Our churches are also affected because they are a very easy target: buildings are clearly visible and unprotected. We do not deploy armed soldiers around our churches, which are places of worship open to everyone”, says the Archbishop of Abuja.

Photo.

Nigeria: blast storms Abuja’s police headquarters

by Claudia

Two people, including a bomber, have died in an explosion at Nigeria’s police headquarters in the capital, Abuja, the police say.

Police spokesman Olusola Amore said Islamist group Boko Haram was suspected of being behind the attack.

The blast in the car park of the police base destroyed many vehicles and a large plume of smoke could be seen rising from the scene.

MapA Red Cross spokesman told the BBC that another four bodies had been recovered.

“Six to be precise. Six bodies from the explosion,” Nigerian Red Cross official Taiye Olaniyi told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme, adding that many of them had been “very badly mutilated”.

Seven other people were wounded in the explosion, five of whom were being treated in hospital, the Red Cross said.

The BBC’s Jonah Fisher in Lagos says that, for the Nigerian authorities, the attack is an embarrassing strike at the very heart of their security establishment.

More here.

Nigeria: 16 killed, Catholic Cathedral destroyed by Boko Haram’s followers

by Claudia

An extremist Islamic group is being held responsible for a series of recent attacks in Nigeria, which have left 16 dead and destroyed the Catholic Cathedral of St. Patrick in the northern capital city of Maiduguri.

“St. Patrick’s Cathedral was seriously damaged, windows and doors destroyed, the whole building was shaken to its foundations by the violence of the explosion,” said Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme of Maiduguri.

Found here.

Islamic countries: Poll shows growing majority favor Sharia Law, more Islam in public life

by Claudia

A majority of Muslims around the world welcome a significant role for Islam in their countries’ political life, according to a new poll from the Pew Research Center, but have mixed feelings toward militant religious groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

According to the survey, majorities in Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan and Nigeria would favor changing the current laws to allow stoning as a punishment for adultery, hand amputation for theft and death for those who convert from Islam to another religion. About 85% of Pakistani Muslims said they would support a law segregating men and women in the workplace.

Indonesia, Egypt, Nigeria and Jordan were among the most enthusiastic, with more than three-quarters of Muslims polled in those countries reporting positive views of Islam’s influence in politics: either that Islam had a large role in politics, and that was a good thing, or that it played a small role, and that was bad.

Turkish Muslims were the most conflicted, with just more than half reporting positive views of Islam’s influence in politics. Turkey has struggled in recent years to balance a secular political system with an increasingly fervent Muslim population.

Many Muslims described an ongoing struggle in their country between fundamentalists and modernizers, especially those who may have felt threatened by the rising tides of conservatism. Among those respondents who identified a struggle, most tended to side with the modernizers. This was especially true in Lebanon and Turkey, where 84% and 74%, respectively, identified themselves as modernizers as opposed to fundamentalists.

In Egypt and Nigeria, however, most people were pulling in the other direction. According to the poll, 59% in Egypt and 58% in Nigeria who said there was a struggle identified with the fundamentalists.

via MUSLIM WORLD: Poll shows majority want Islam in politics; feelings mixed on Hamas, Hezbollah | Babylon & Beyond | Los Angeles Times.