AFRICA: NIGERIA: ARCHBISHOP DISTURBED BY VIOLENCE

CISA REPORT –The church in Nigeria has raised the red flag about the latest inter-faiths violence in the country describing it as “worrisome, sad and even embarrassing.”

According to Rt Rev Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, Archbishop of Jos in an interview with Fides, underlining the bitterness over the new violence that struck his city on August 29.

According to press agencies, a group of Muslims who were preparing to celebrate the end of Ramadan were attacked by some young Christians in a city district in central Nigeria.

Archbishop Kaigama, who is in Abuja for a meeting of the Episcopal Conference of Nigeria, reconstructed the events for Fides:”It was a dispute between a group of Muslims that were heading towards a particular area, and another group of young Christians who went to pray in the same area. A discussion over who owned the area broke out, which unfortunately resulted in violence and caused deaths, injuries and property damage, the destruction of several cars and other vehicles.”

Tension remain high in Nigeria, following an attack on the UN headquarters in the federal capital Abuja that killed 23 people.

“All this is quite alarming. This situation involves civil authorities who must ensure safety. We hope something is done urgently. The Nigerians also feel sad and feel a sense of shame for the continuing violence. As Bishops, we continue to direct appeals to the authorities to do their duty and the population to adopt dialogue as a way to resolve disputes”, said Archbishop Kaigama

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