2014-09-10 11:10:00

Archbishop of Jos: Christians and Muslims uniting can be force for change in Nigeria


(Vatican Radio) Boko Haram fighters are patrolling a stretch of road between two of several towns the Islamic extremists have seized alongside northeast Nigeria's border with Cameroon. That’s according to residents who fled the area fearing for their lives. Mubi, the town they left, was a centre for thousands of refugees trying to avoid fighting.

Listen to Vatican Radio’s interview with Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos.

Meanwhile, Nigerian ground forces backed by warplanes continue to battle the militants in a bid to regain territory.

Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos in Nigeria was one of the participants at the Saint Egidio International Meeting for Peace taking place in Antwerp, which concluded Tuesday evening.

He told Vatican Radio’s Francesca Sabatinelli that Christians and Muslims of goodwill working together, can be a powerful force in overcoming Boko Haram.

“If together good Christians, good Muslims come together they can be a force, a very strong force to confront Boko Haram…” …”When we are united together we speak with one voice, we act like one people, I think we can overcome Boko Haram”

The Archbishop goes on to say that with growing attacks on Muslim leaders, the eyes of many Muslims have been opened to the damage that is being done to Nigeria.

The fighting is not just confined to Nigeria; it has also spilled over into Cameroon, where residents of Mubi fled to.

The Nigerian extremists at the weekend attacked the Cameroonian border town of Fotocol, across the border from Borno, but Cameroonian troops reportedly drove them off and killed about 100 of their fighters.

Thousands of people including Christians have been killed and more than 1.5 million people forced from their homes in the 5-year-old insurgency aimed at turning Nigeria into a hard-line Islamic state.

 

 

 








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