Agenzia Fides REPORT - "We have no specific information on the identity of the bombers and we cannot say that they are members of the Boko Haram sect " says to Fides His Exc. Mgr. Ignatius Ayau Kaigama Archbishop of Jos, capital of the Plateau State (central Nigeria), where the during the night between Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December three bombs exploded in three places crowded with people watching a football match on television, causing at least one death and dozens of injuries. There are suspicions that the attacks were committed by the Boko Haram sect which are very active in the northern States of the Federation. "What we do know is that these attacks were perpetrated by a group of young people, and there are fears that they are part of a strategy to create tension before Christmas. It is clearly the design of instilling fear before the holidays", says the Archbishop of Jos.
Mgr. Kaigama, however, appreciates the work of the police "that intervened on the site of the attacks quickly" and stresses at the same time, that "these attacks took place in a small area of Jos, it did not affect the entire city. When the press reports of attacks in Jos in the Plateau State, the descriptions are often exaggerated. It seems that the entire city is involved, or the entire State, but it is not like that, because the attacks involve only a few areas. Indeed I am happy to be able to say that the security forces are quite efficient and are able to act quickly to regain control of the situation. I hope that the attacks do not happen any more, but this is why one needs to be more pro-active".
Mgr. Kaigama adds that "Jos is a very beautiful city with a cool climate that attracts both permanent residents from other parts of Nigeria and tourists. I think this is part of the problem. In Jos, there are also several religious groups, Christians and Muslims, who seek to live in peace and coexistence". "There is someone who wants to destroy all this. The problem of violence in Jos and the surrounding areas cannot be blamed only because of the tension between Christians and Muslims that exist and need to be overcome, but we must also consider the political and economic aspects, and especially if there is a threat to destroy the examples of the Nigerian people to live in peace and harmony", concludes the Archbishop of Jos. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 12/12/2011)
Mgr. Kaigama, however, appreciates the work of the police "that intervened on the site of the attacks quickly" and stresses at the same time, that "these attacks took place in a small area of Jos, it did not affect the entire city. When the press reports of attacks in Jos in the Plateau State, the descriptions are often exaggerated. It seems that the entire city is involved, or the entire State, but it is not like that, because the attacks involve only a few areas. Indeed I am happy to be able to say that the security forces are quite efficient and are able to act quickly to regain control of the situation. I hope that the attacks do not happen any more, but this is why one needs to be more pro-active".
Mgr. Kaigama adds that "Jos is a very beautiful city with a cool climate that attracts both permanent residents from other parts of Nigeria and tourists. I think this is part of the problem. In Jos, there are also several religious groups, Christians and Muslims, who seek to live in peace and coexistence". "There is someone who wants to destroy all this. The problem of violence in Jos and the surrounding areas cannot be blamed only because of the tension between Christians and Muslims that exist and need to be overcome, but we must also consider the political and economic aspects, and especially if there is a threat to destroy the examples of the Nigerian people to live in peace and harmony", concludes the Archbishop of Jos. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 12/12/2011)
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