AFRICA/NIGERIA - "Despite the latest attacks, we hope that Boko Haram will be soon defeated" says the Bishop of Maiduguri

Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - "We have concrete hope that Boko Haram will be defeated soon. We are praying that Boko Haram will soon become a thing that belongs to the past", says to Agenzia Fides His Exc. Mgr. Oliver Dashe Doeme, Bishop of Maiduguri, capital of the Nigerian State of Borno, where on June 22 two girls had carried out two attacks, killing 32 people. New attacks were committed in other areas of Borno State, always by suicide bombers.
According to Mgr. Doeme these attacks, although painful for the high number of victims, "are intended to show that the group is still alive and able to strike after the latest military offensives. We know, however, that Boko Haram has suffered significant losses and lost control of different territories. The defeat of Boko Haram fighters will not happen in one day. It will be necessary to dislodge them from their strongholds, especially in the forest, then proceed towards their complete disarmament". "We hope that this will happen in the near future. We continue to pray for this to happen", concludes the Bishop. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 24/06/2015)