AFRICA/NIGERIA - Attack against a church, "a barbaric act " says to Fides the Archbishop of Kaduna who launches an appeal for calm

Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - "A cowardly, barbarous and horrible act, that any ordinary person can only condemn. It is unthinkable that anyone is able to commit such actions, but unfortunately it happens," says to Fides Agency Mgr. Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso, Archbishop of Kaduna, the capital of the State in northern Nigeria, where on Sunday28 October, at least 8 people were killed in a suicide attack against the church of St. Rita in the Malali area.
The attack, which caused hundreds of injuries, was carried out by a suicide bomber driving a car bomb that blew up when the car crashed against the place of worship, full of faithful attending Sunday Mass. The action has not been claimed, but it is suspected that the authors are members of the Boko Haram Islamist group.
Media sources report incidents of violent exasperation and retaliation on behalf of Christian groups. "I have no direct knowledge of retaliation actions - said Mgr. Ndagoso - but as soon as the news about episodes of revenge on behalf of Christians spread, I immediately launched an appeal via radio to calm and peace. Unfortunately one cannot control everyone."
"The situation is now calm, the police and the army control the streets. Even in the area of the attack the population is dedicated to their normal activities, " said the Archbishop, who concludes: "the President of the Assembly, who is a Muslim, condemned the attack, today we will see if other Muslim leaders will join in condemning this brutal act." (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 29/10/2012)