THE Bishop of Bolton, the Rt Revd Christopher Edmondson, has
called on the Government to send "urgent help" to Nigeria to help
it tackle Boko Haram terrorists, as church leaders in that country
accused the West of sitting back while people were "killed like
animals".
In an interview with the Baptist World Alliance, the President
of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, the Revd Samson Ayokunle,
expressed "consternation" at the attitude of the international
community in the face of the destruction.
"The earnestness with which they intervened in the ISIL attack
in Syria and Iraq, or the Taliban problem in Afghanistan . . . is
not shown in the case of Nigeria."
He accused the world community of devaluing Nigerian lives:
"Does it not matter to the rest of the world if Boko Haram
continues to kill hundreds of people every week? Are these people
less human than those being killed in other places where they have
gone to directly intervene? My people are being killed like animals
and the whole world is just watching."
Boko Haram fighters carried out a cross-border raid into
Cameroon last week, capturing dozens of hostages, including women
and children.
Up to 24 of the 80 people seized managed to escape after the
terrorists were pursued by Cameroon's military. The others are
believed to have been taken back into Nigeria.
Boko Haram has established a stronghold in north-eastern
Nigeria, and is growing increasingly confident about crossing the
border. Troops from neighbouring Chad have been deployed in
northern Cameroon to try to contain Boko Haram fighters.
Bishop Edmondson this week called on British people to urge the
Government to support the fight against Boko Haram.
"The Islamist terror group Boko Haram has murdered hundreds of
people and destroyed thousands of homes. In fact they have been
carrying out religious and ethnic cleansing in north-east Nigeria
for years. Some estimates say up to 31,000 lives have been lost to
date, and over one million people have fled their homes, enduring
horrific conditions in Internally Displaced Persons camps in safer
areas or refugee camps abroad.
"Despite the scale of this violence and its effects, the crisis
has been relatively under-reported. The Rt Revd Benjamin Kwashi,
Archbishop of Jos State, is quoted as saying: 'I don't know how
many more lives Boko Haram must kill before Western powers show
they care.'
"Will you please join me in asking the UK Government to take
action in condemning what is taking place, and to send urgent help
to Nigeria. Solidarity with the people of Nigeria is important, but
they need action as well to address this outrage."