Christians in northern Nigeria announce new mass exodus

After the terrorist attacks in northern Nigeria last Friday, the Christian Ibo announced that three million members of their population group will flee from the state of Kano. The chairman of the Ibo-organization "Ohanaeze Ndigbo" in this state, Michael Idika, now appealed to the authorities to provide vehicles to evacuate Ibo people living in the southeastern region of Nigeria. This was reported by the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) in Göttingen on Sunday. "The Ibo see themselves as victims of terrorist activities by the Boko Haram sect – and have no more confidence in being protected by the police or the army," said the STP's expert on questions regarding Africa, Ulrich Delius. During the last four weeks, tens of thousands of Christians already fled from the north of the country, which is mainly inhabited by Muslims.

More than 270 people were killed in terrorist attacks of Boko Haram since Christmas 2011. "Terror in northern Nigeria against Christians and the police escalates more and more," said Delius. "If Boko Haram continues to spread fear and terror with the same intensity, the year 2012 will be the bloodiest since the genocide in Biafra." In comparison, from January to November 2011 "only" 425 people were killed during raids and bombings by the radical Islamic sect.

Last Friday, at least 165 people were killed in Kano during several dozen bomb attacks on police facilities. Last Friday, another planned bomb attack on the police headquarters in the city of Kano (city district Bomqai) could be thwarted only at the last minute. The police shot and killed a suspected suicide bomber as he approached the police station with his vehicle in a suspicious manner. Later, a bomb was found in the car.

"Nigeria's police and security apparatus is clearly overchallenged with the protection of minorities and state institutions," said Delius, "while corruption, uncoordinated activities and the abuse of power cause the people to distrust the police. Also, the police, the army and other security services do not coordinate their actions against Boko Haram enough." The police have been massively criticized especially after last Wednesday, when the prime suspect for planning a bomb attack on a Catholic Church managed to escape from police custody. The 28-year-old Kabiru Soto is suspected to have planned the attack on the Church of St. Theresa in Madalla (near the capital Abuja) during which 37 worshipers were killed and 57 more injured on Christmas of 2011.