FIDES, the News Agency for the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, reports that Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama has said that “Boko Haram attacks Muslims who do not think like them“.
“The terrible attack against Muslims in prayer shows that Boko Haram has expanded its objectives“, according to the Archbishop of Jos and President of the Episcopal Conference of Nigeria in condemning yesterday’s attack [28 November], against the central mosque in Kano, the largest city in northern Nigeria. “Not only non-Muslims or symbols of “Western culture” are attacked such as schools, but also Muslims considered “less Muslims” compared to the extremist conception of Islam advocated by Boko Haram“, Archbishop Kaigama said.
During the Friday prayers two suicide bombers blew themselves up in the mosque, soon after a dozen gunmen fired on the crowd that tried to run away, maximizing the panic. Many victims, mostly children, died crushed by the crowd on the run. At least four bombers were lynched by survivors. The provisional toll of the attack, attributed to Boko Haram, is of 120 dead and 270 wounded.
It is believed that the attack was against the Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi II, the second most important Muslim Nigerian authority after the Sultan of Sokoto. Thank God, the Emir was not at the Mosque as he was out of the country at the time of the attack.
The Archbishop said that “The Emir of Kano is one of the few Islamic leaders who dared to openly condemn the violence of Boko Haram. Most of the leaders of the Islamic community in Nigeria have so far hesitated to take a firm stand against Boko Haram for fear of bloody reprisals. Effort on behalf of all Nigerians to put an end to the violence is needed“, concludes the Archbishop of Jos. (Agenzia Fides 29/11/2014)