Abuja (dpa) – Nigerian church groups vowed on Thursday to defend themselves against future attacks by Islamist militants after bomb blasts at churches on Christmas Day killed at least 40 people. Bishop Ayo Oritsajafor, leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said after talks with Presidetn Goodluck Jonathan that the attacks claimed by the Boko Haram Islamist group were a declaration of war on Christians. “It is considered as a declaration of war on Christians and Nigeria as an entity,” he said, adding that the bombings fitted “into the profile of Islamic Jihad over the years on the Christian community.” “The Christian community nationwide would be left with no other option than to respond appropriately if there are any further attacks on our members, churches and properties,” Oritsajafor added. Meanwhile, a twin bomb attack was reported at a hotel in the north-east of the country. Police said 15 people were wounded when the bombs exploded late on Wednesday. An armed men threw a bomb into the hotel's reception and another under cars parked outside. Boko Haram, which wants to impose strict Islamic law in Nigeria, has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which hit churches in Jos, Damaturu and in Madalla, where 32 people died when a bomb exploded outside a Roman Catholic church. But an Islamic group said Thursday that the brewing conflict was not between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria, which has a predominantly Christian south and a significant Muslim population in the north, but between a radical sect and the rest of the nation. “Islam is not in support of massacre, genocide or killing,” imam Alhaju Abdul-Fatai Olutsin of the Ansar Ud-Deen Society told local reporters. “We must keep emphasizing the fact that no religion in the world supports the killing of innocent people.” President Jonathan, a Christian from southern Nigeria, promised a security shake-up in the wake of the attacks. “At the security level, we are doing our best,” he told local reporters. “We will restructure, we will re-adjust and make sure we get a team that will meet with the challenges we are facing today.” Christians, meanwhile, continued to flee the northern cities of Maiduguri, Damaturu, Potiskum and Kaduna on Thursday, fearing further attacks. Nigerian television reported that about 90,000 people are believed to have fled the north-eastern town of Potiskum alone. Although there was no curfew in place in the northern cities, restaurants, bars and nightclubs were shutting their doors early, with many customers afraid to head out after dark. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/8pCTU Tags: Attacks, Boko Haram, Christians, Nigeria Section: Latest News, Religion, West Africa
