New York — A member of the United States Congress, Trent Franks (representing Arizona 2nd Congressional District), has called on President Barack Obama to follow through on his pledge to assist Nigeria in bringing all those who committed, what he called, "horrific violence and hatred", on Christmas Day to justice.
A deadly bomb blast targeting St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Madella, a town on the outskirt of Abuja, Nigeria's capital city, had killed not less than 35 people and wounded several others, most of them worshippers who were just leaving church after Christmas day mass.
Another suicide bomb attack at the Yobe State Command Headquarters of the Department of State Security Services (SSS) in Damaturu had claimed the lives of three security operatives, while two other explosions targeting Mountain of Fire and Miracle Church, Jos, Plateau State, that same day, claimed the life of a policeman. A militant religious sect, Boko Haram, claimed responsibility for these deadly attacks.
In a statement made available to THISDAY in New York, Franks, one of the founders of the Congressional International Religious Freedom (IRF), which he also co-chairs, said, "The two most fundamental freedoms a person possesses were brutally stolen from dozens of innocent people yesterday - the right to life and the right to religious freedom. Nearly 40 innocent Christian worshippers were tragically murdered on Christmas day, simply because of the faith that they professed."
He said, "This is a clear affront to religious freedom and basic human rights in Nigeria. The attacks transpired on one of the holiest Christian days of the Church year and in the victims' sacred houses of worship."
Citing what he called, "Consistent trends of religious persecution" plaguing Nigeria, Franks said, "Last year, Boko Haram coordinated a series of Christmas Eve bombings in Jos that barbarically killed over 30 precious Nigerians and wounded 74."
The lawmaker, who chairs the Subcommittee on the Constitution and serves on both the Strategic Forces Subcommittee and the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, said, "We know that the stability of Nigeria is severely in question when the peace and security that comes from freedom of religion and the ability to worship without fear of retribution is under acute threat."
Franks called on the Nigerian government to "seriously combat" these acts of terrorism and protect innocent people by fostering transparent rule of law in the country.
Also US-based Nigerians and groups have continued to react to the Christmas day bombings in three Nigerian states. A Washington based human rights lawyer, Emmanuel Ogebe, said, "This is one Christmas bombing too many for Nigerians."
He noted that, "Nigerians were horrified to learn of the attempted terror-bombing of a Delta Flight on Christmas day in 2009 with scores of Nigerians, Americans and other nationals aboard. Then again in 2010 dozens were killed on Christmas day in multiple bombings in Jos. This week's bombings in multiple cities is the third successive such strike that has turned a merry religious holiday into a season of horror and bloodbath."
Ogebe said, "This is no more terror bombings but a full-scale insurgency and an explicit declaration and execution of war on helpless, unarmed and innocent civilian worshippers."
Expressing his concern that the militant sect was effectively intimidating people from going to new year's eve services with its latest threats of more attacks, Ogebe called on Nigerian authorities to deal with the foreign enemy combatants and their local collaborators, who had been perpetrating crimes against humanity on the civilian population and acts of subversion against constituted authority.
He said, "The year 2011 has witnessed horrendous multi-state violence in northern Nigeria remniscent of the sad pre-civil war era. The Boko Haram insurgency has brought us to new low unprecedented in our national life.
"Platitudes and cliches must give way to a coherent national security strategy, global counterterrorism cooperation, and clearly defined military rules of engagement. The government of Nigeria should also hasten to compensate the thousands of displaced victims of the post-election violence who are still languishing 10 months after their loss."
In the same vein, three Washington-based human rights and religious groups - Institute on Religion and Democracy, Jubilee Campaign, and American Center for Law and Justice - have also condemned the attacks and called on "national authorities and the international community to cooperate in combatting this menace that threatens the ability of worshippers to practice their faith without fear of attack."
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Am suspecting America of funding these militants in order t legitimise their invasion of yet another oil rich country.Do we Africans really need the white man to solv our problems?Badluck Jonathan,wake up b4 u find urself in bed with the broke whore...
HERE WE HAVE ANOTHER SUPERIOR WHITE CHRISTIAN IDENTITYING THE PRECIOUS CHRISTIANS OF NIGERIA. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE US IS SORRY FOR INVOLVING IT SELF WITH THE SLAVE TRADE AND FORCING THEIR FORM OF CHRISTIANITY ON BLACK AFRICANS. DESTROYING CITIES AND PLACES OF WORSHIP UNDERMINING A CONTINENTAND THEIR CULTURE . WE MUST ALSO LOOK AT THIS GREAT NATIONS CONSTITUTION WHERE IT IS STILL LEGAL TO OWN SLAVES TILL TODAY .THE US HAS NOT PAID ANY REPARATIONS TO ANY BLACK NATION. NOR HAVE THEY RATIFIED THEIR CONSTITUTION SO HOW CAN THESE HYPOCRITS TALK ;THE BLACK MANS BLOOD RUNS DEEP IN THE AMERICAN SOIL. WHILE THE AFRICAN WHO WAS BROUGHT TO AMERICA TO SLAVE SOUGHT WITH ALL HIS HEART TO LIBERATE THIS NEW LANDS WHERE THE PEOPLE WERE BAWWLING FOR JUSTICE. THE AFRICAN IN THE WAY OF PETER SALEM WAS THE FIRST MAN SHOT DEAD AS HE LEAD THE CHARGE AT LEXINGTON AND CONCORDE; YET TODAY NO ONE REMEMBERS HIS NAME. THE GREAT RULE OF AMERICAN JUSTICE WAS AFTER THE SERVISES OF MANY AFRICANS DIEING FOR LIBERTY THEY WERE ALL SENTENCED TO A LIFE TIME OF SERVITUDE IN THE NAME OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE BLACKS MAN SLAVERY. THIS WAS WHERE THEY WERE TORTUTED RAPED MOLESTED SOLD LIKE DOGS. THIS WAS WHERE BETS WERE MADE TO SEEWHAT TYPE OF BABY THE BLACKNEGERITA WAS CARRYING ; THIS THEN GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO CUT THE BELLLY OPEN AND TAKE OUT THE CHILD FOR CLOSE EXAMINATION WHETHER SHE WAS DUE OR NOT.. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DOUBLE STANDARDS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RACIALISM AND THE VERY APARTHIED SYSTEM THAT EXIST IN THE UNITED STATES. THERE ARE A TINY MINORITY OF WHITES WHO GOES TO PREDOMIANTLY BLACK CONGREGATIONS BUT WE FIND BLACKS WHO WANT TO SHOW THEY ARE DIFFERNT AND WANRT TO EBACCEPTED AS DIFFERNT TYPE OF NEGROES GOES TO WHITE CHURCHES. WHEN THESE WITES SPEAK OF GOOD CHRISTIANS THEY MEAN GOOD NEGROES WHO FOLLOWS THEIR WAYS. THEY LOOK AT YOU AS LOPYAL NEGROES WHO IS READY TO START A CIVIL WAR TO SHOW THEM HOW MUCH JUSTICE YOU WANT. THEY WILL BE WILLING TO TRY AND CRUCIFY THENM FOR YOU. AMERICA HAS ONE OF THE WORLDS LARGETS PRISON INDUSTRIES IN THE WORLD. THIS TODAY IS THEIR FORM OF SLAVERY. TODAY ITS SLAVERY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS. YES BROTHERS THEY DO ALL THE RIGHT THINGS EXCEEPT ALOWING FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN FREENESS. THEY HAVE THE POPULATION ATY LARGE TUNED IN TO THEIR NEOCONSERVATIVE AGENDA THEY HAVE THE PEOPLE SINGING THE RIGHT TYPES OF MUSIC BEACUSE IF THEY DONT THEY FACE ETERNAL CONFINEMENT ON TERRORIST CHARGES. THIS IS THEIR NEW WAY OFD CONTAINING FREEWIZENESS OF SPEECH AND ANY DISAGREEMENT THAT ANY ONE POSES AGAINST THEIR US GOVERNMENT. OBAM HAS TAKERN THE US TO A NEW MILITARY HEIGHST . HE IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT LIARS THAT EVER CAME INTO THE WHITE HOUSE. HE HAS SIGNED LAWS THAT CONDEMENS TH INNOCENT TO PRISON WITHOUT THE RULE OF LAWS SO HOW ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT THE RULE OF LAW. THERE IS ONLY MARTIAL LAW IN TH UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. FRENESS FOR SPEECH HAS BEEN ELKIMINATED THE PRESS IS ALL OWNED BY RIGHT WING CORPORATIONS. SLAVERY IS BLACK AND BACK. WE MUST REMBER THAT IN THIS GREAT AND GLORIOUS CONTINENT WHICH HAS THE MOST RICHES ON THE PLANET . THEY WILL CONSPIRE TO HAVE YOU ENDEAR YOUR SELF TO TJHEM FOR THEIR ASSISSTANCE WHICH COST MORE THAN YOU WANT TO SPEND. FIRST AND FOREMOST WHY ARE THESE BROTHERS SO ANGRY WHY?HAVE THEY BEEM ASAULTED BY THE NIGERIAN GOVBERNMENT AND HAVE THEY BEEN MARGINALISED BY THIS SAME GOVERNMENT WHO FEEDS INTO THIS DIVISVE TALK OF CHRISTIAN SOUTH AND MUSLIM NORTH. THIS WAS HOW THEY BROKE UP AFRICA DURING THE SLAVE TRADE. WE MUST PUT BRAKES ON AND GO TO THE TABLE WHER ANSWERS MOST BE FOUND SHOULD WE PRETEND TO BE WHITE CHRISTIANS AND SHOW THEM HOW WE LOVE TO KILL OUR OWN YET PROFESS TO BE CHRISTIANS . WE MUST FIRST LOOK AT HOW CHRIST TJH NAZARITE OBETED ALL THE ETHICAL AND MORAL CODES OF HONOUR AND SHOWING LOVE. THIS WAS JESUS CHRIST MOST AUDACIOUS BEHAVIOUR IF YOU SLAPPED HIM ON THE LEFT CHEEK HE TURNED THE OTHER AND SAID TAKE THIS ONE TOO. I SAY TO ALL NEGERIANS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR NEIGHBOUR DONT PLAY THE WHITE GAME .HISTORY PROVIDES EVIDENCE EVERYDAY THAT THIS DOES NOT WORK. NIGERIA IS RICH THEY WANT TO USE THE PEOPLE. EDUCATION IS SO IMPORTANT AND NOT OF THE BRAINWASHING TYPE. IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFULL NIGERIA WILL SOON HAVE A US BASE WITH US LAWS WHERE WE WILL BE EXTRADITING BLACK MAN TO SLAVERY IN THE US. SHOULD LESSONS NOT BE LEARNED AND WE HAVE A STUBBORN GOVERNMENT THAT WANTS TO IMPRESS THE ENSLAVERS THEN THEY WILL FEEL THE SAME DEADLY WRATH OF IRAQ AN AFGHANISTAN. AFRICA MUST REALISE THAT WESTERN CUILTUERS IS NOT YOUR CULTURES THEY CAN NOT EXPECT TO FORCE A CULTURRE ON THE PEOPLE AND THEN THINK IT WILL BE OVERSEN BY THEIR OVERSEERS THOSE WHO DURING SLAVERY WORKED FOR THE WHITES AS WATCHMEN INFORMERS AND SHOT AND KILLED BLACK MAN ALL FOR THE WHITE RULING CLASS. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THIS WORLD TODAY IF AFRICANS TRULY WOKE UP AND DAREDF TO DEFY WHITE INMTEREST AND SHOUTED FOR THEIR GOD TO DEFND THEM AND GUIDE THEM AWAY FROMTHESE MISERABLE LIVES OF MISFORTUNE AND MISDEEDS. WHAT IF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS SAID ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WE MUST BE FRE. WE MUST FIND THE "ALMIGHTY GOD" ON OUR OWN MERITS. WHY SHOULD WE BE EITHER CHRISTAISN OR MUSLIMS WHY CANT WE SEE "GOD" FOR OUR SLVES. "GOD" OUR"CREATOR"IS NOT HIDING AWAY FROM US. WHY CANT HE CALL HIS ANME AS HE SAID IN THE BEGINNING WE MUST SEARCH FROM THE BEGINNING IF THE CONTINENT IS TO FIND WHOM WE SEEK. THEIR IS NO GROUIP OR SECT THAT HAS A MONOPOLY ON THE "MIGHTY KING" "RULER OF ALL UNIVERSES". THEIR IS NONE GREATER THAN "HE". SLET US SEPERATE OURSELVES UNTO THE LORD GOD ALONE WHERE WE WILL NOT BE SANCTIMONIOUS AND SELCT SECTS ORDENOMINATIONS WE WILL BE THOSE CHOSEN TO CALL UPON WHOM IS THE LORD OUR GOD . THEMIGHTYONE WHO WILL GUIDE US AS WE ARE THE WANDERING SHEEP WHO NEEDS HIS WISE GUIDING HAND. LET US SHOW WE ALL AGREE THAT HE IS AN "ALL POWERFUL LORD" THIS IS NOT A QUESTION.LET US SHOW LOVE TO OUR ALL AND FIX WHAT IT IS THAT WE NEED TO SATISFY OURSELVES SPIRITUALY. WE KNOW THAT ONE HE IS A "FORGIVING LORD" WE ALL AGREE WITH THIS PASSAGE. LET US WALK AND TALK AND FIND WHICH WAY WE NEED TO GIVE THIS GLORY TO WHOM W ALL PRAISE. WE ALL AGREE THAT THEIR IS ONLY ONE LORD" WHAT WE DONT AGREE WITH IS JESUS BEING THE ONLY SON . WHICH IS NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE ADAAM WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS FIRST SON AND WE KNOW FOR A FCAT THAT THE "ALMIGHTYGOD" DID NOT COME TO EARTH AND FORNICATE WITH MARY. SO THAT IS OUT THE ANSWER. SO WE MUST BELIEVE THA WHATVER THE ALMIGHTY WILLS SO BE IT. AS HE WILLED SARAH TO GIVE BIRTH TO ISSAC AT 99. WE MUST ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT NOAH HAD HIS WIFES PREGNANT AT 130 YEARS OLD SO WE MUST NOT LOOK FOR ANSWERS IN THE WRONG PLACES. WE MUST ALSO READ THE BIBLE WITH THE KNMOWLEDGE THAT IT WAS GIVENTO US IN BNAD FAITH NOT IN THE WAY OF WORSHIP BUT TO WORSHIP THE WHITE MAN AS GODS. THS WAS THEIR EVIL INTENT. SO WHEN WE READ WE MUST LISTEN TO SOEM OF THE WORDS AND THEIR STYLE OF WRITING WHERE WE FIND THAT SHAKESPEARE HAD ALOT TO DO WITH THE WRITING OF THE BIBNLE . WE MUST ALSO RECOGNISE THAT SHAKESPEARE WAS HOMOSEXUAL AND HE WAS FED UP WITH JAMES WHO RECOMENDED THAT THESE WRITERS REINTERPRET THE BIBLE FOR HIS SAKE. THESE THINGS WE SHOUDL ALL KNWO JUST DONT READ TH BIBLE AND START QUITING SUNDAU SCHOOL VERSES WHAT WAS GIVEN TO US BY WHITE MISIONARIES. WE MUST SEARCH FOR OUR OWN OVERSTANDING WHERE WHEN WE LEARN WHAT IT IS THAT FREES OURMINDS THEN WE WILL STAND TO GAIN MUCH MORE FROM WHAT IT IS THAT WE LEARN. DAT UNTO DAY BRINGETH FORTH KNOWLEDGE AND NIGHT WIZENESS. DO NOT BE OVERAWED BY THOSE WHO ARE MILITARILY STRONGER THAN YOU ARE THOSE WHO LIKE TO PUSH THEIR WEIGHT ABOUT. STILL WHEN WE READ WE MUST LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF KING DAVID AND BE PULSATED BY HIS STRONG AND FEALESS ACTIONS OR WE MIGHT LEARN FOM THE TEACHER SOLOMAN WHO WAS WIZE AND RECOGNISED THAT ALL IS VANITY VANITY OF VANITIES WE OURSELVES ARE VAIN AND MATERIAL WHEN WE BREK THE SKIN BACK AND STRIP US DOWN TO OUR SOULS WHO ARE WE THEN?AL IS VANITY SAYS THE PREACHER!!!!S WIZE THOUGHTS COME FROM WIZE MANS' WE MUST NEVER SUBMIT TO THOSE WHOVE STOLEN OUR HERITAGE AND GIVEN STONES FOR BREAD AND LIED DECEIVED US RAPED PLUNDERED PILLAGED US WITH GREAT HATRED. WE ARE CIVILIZED WAY BEFORE THEY WER EVEN HATCHED AND OUR HISTORY CAN BE TAKEN AS FAR FORWARD AS ONE MILLION BC SO THEWY SAY NOTHING AND THIS IS WHAT WE CAN PROVE. SHALL WE SK DOCTOR LEAKEY THE ENGIS ARCHAEOLOGIST WHOM HAS SINCE HIS DISCOVERY HAS BEEN TRIED TO BE REWRITTEN AS THIS GAVE TOO MCUH IMPETUS TO BLACK LIBERATION. WE MUST NOT FEAR FOR WHENEVER WE FEAR ITS THE DEVIL WE PRAISE LET US REMOVE OURSELVES FROM THE BOX OF ALL SECTS AND DENOMINATIONS JUST ONCE LETR US GO FROWARD WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS YEAR WE CEL;BRATE AS A NEW YEAR IS THE ALLEGD DEATH OF CHRIST WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ROMA CALENDER. THE WORDL SPINS FROM THIS CALLENDER IT HAS BEEN THE TIMEGIVER FOR THE PAST TWO THOUSAND YEARS . WE MUST REMEBER THAT WHEN THEY FOUND OUR CALENDERS IT WAS WAY AHEAD OF THIS ONE SO DO NOT BE OFFENDED WE WILL, SMILE BUT WE WILL NOT BOW NOR WILL WE SUBMIT. WE SHALL" ALL FIND GRACE IN THE ONE SUPERIOR POWER" THAT SUPERCEDES MAN BY TRILLIONS OF YEARS" IN THISA GREAT POWER WE WILL FIND "PEACEEVRLIVING" "PEACEETERNAL" " PEACE EVERMOE"
I don't think that any sensible person would object to America's intervention in the affairs of Nigeria unless that person is assuming that Nigeria has no friends outisde Nigeria.
Boko Haram has declared war on Nigeria and Nigeria is right in calling on friendly nations to come to its aid. The sophistication and audacity of Boko Haram's atrocities suggest they have a foreign backing, so Nigeria is equally right to seek foreign assistance.