Christian leaders in Kaduna, Nigeria, Implore “God’s comfort” for Victims of Train Attack

He calls on the Federal Government of Nigeria “to deploy everything at its disposal to crush the bandits who have had a field day in Kaduna State and elsewhere in Nigeria.”

Pastor Hayab further says that security agencies need “to employ innovative and professional strategies to deal with the situation and repudiate any political interference in security matters.”

He emphasizes on the need for peace in Africa’s most populous nation saying, “A nation where mourning has become an everyday ordeal cannot be productive as the heart that mourns becomes fragile, unable to think, plan or organize well.”

Nigeria has been experiencing insecurity since 2009 when Boko Haram insurgency began with the aim of turning the Wewst African nation into an Islamic state.

Since then, the group, one of largest Islamist groups in Africa, has been orchestrating indiscriminate terrorist attacks on various targets, including religious and political groups as well as civilians.

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The insecurity situation has further been complicated by the involvement of the predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen, also referred to as the Fulani Militia, who have been clashing frequently with Christian farmers.

Abductions for ransom have also become common in the country. 

Last week, the Bishop of Kafanchan Diocese expressed concern about the incessant insecurity in the Southern part of Kaduna State. 

Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi said the nature of the attacks in the Nigerian State have triggered the thinking that that Christians in the region “are gradually becoming an endangered species that are earmarked for extermination.” 

Bishop Kundi also decried the laxity in the government and international community’s response to the attacks saying, “It is quite scandalous that while the pogrom against Christians from Southern Kaduna and the Middle Belt is metamorphosing into genocide, the Government and the International Community’s narratives present it as an ethnic clash that can be comfortably tamed by the Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies.” 

The Local Ordinary of Kafanchan called on Nigerians to unite beyond religious and ethnic differences. 

He also encouraged the people of God in the country to remain optimistic about a more peaceful future. 

He said, “We are facing some real challenges, but we won’t give up. Many are our trials, but we won’t turn back. We may be temporarily down, but we are certainly not out."

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.