Abductees released in Kogi State on 13 January. (Photo: @Otunba)
Christian religious liberty advocates have said that the Nigerian government must do more to end the constant attacks, kidnappings and killings by militants, Islamists and bandits.
In the latest of many outrages, 163 Christians were abducted by “heavily armed bandits” during an attack on two churches on Sunday.
Nigeria’s security services have often been criticised for their inability to prevent attacks, sometimes being entirely absent even when advance warning is given.
In response to the ongoing crisis, the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, declared a national emergency and pledged to double the size of the police forces. The Nigerian government also gave permission for the US to conduct airstrikes on Christmas Day, targeting militant camps in the north of the country.
Rev Yunusa Sabo Nmadu, CEO of Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria, said, “While applauding the military successes recorded in the past few months, CSW condemns the repeated attacks on the vulnerable people in Kurmin Wali and surrounding communities.
“We urge the security agencies to ensure the prompt release of those abducted and to enhance security for all other vulnerable areas.
“We also call on the government to strengthen the local capacity of these villagers to serve as the first line of defence against terrorists who are increasingly emboldened by each unchallenged abduction.”
As well as an inability to prevent many attacks, Nigerian authorities have been criticised for minimising the religious dimension of the violence and for attempting to obfuscate the scale.
President Tinubu has appeared to suggest that both Christians and Muslims have equally been victims. While this is true in cases which are little more than banditry, there are numerous cases of Islamic militants carrying out violent action against the Christian population.
The founder president of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Mervyn Thomas, called for greater transparency and honesty from the government.
“CSW is highly concerned by the official efforts to obscure the abductions that took place in Kurmin Wali and to prevent residents from speaking to the press,” he said.
“The government of Nigeria at both state and federal levels must be transparent about the scale and severity of the security crisis the country is experiencing, and specifically about the asymmetry with which Christian communities are being targeted, in order to ensure an effective response to the terrorism that has blighted the lives of vulnerable citizens across central Nigeria for far too long.”
