AFRICA/NIGERIA - The Bishop of Kafanchan denounces: "The violence of the Fulani fueled by government complicity"

Tuesday, 28 March 2017 violence   armed groups  

Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - "The crisis here has persisted because of the way and manner the Federal and State governments, as well as the Security Agents are handling it", denounces His Exc. Mgr. Joseph Bagobiri, Bishop of Kafanchan, in the State of Southern Kaduna, northern Nigeria. Mgr. Bagobiri made this statement during his thanksgiving speech to a delegation of the Episcopal Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for visiting the area. The delegation, led by the President of CBCN, Mgr. Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, Archbishop of Jos, in addition to expressing the closeness of the entire Church in Nigeria towards the local population threatened by the raids of the Fulani farmers (see Fides 11/01/2017), brought some concrete help for those affected by the violence.
"It is important to put on record that the insecurity situation we experience as a Diocese in Kafanchan and Southern Kaduna has not stopped despite the presence of Security Agents", said Mgr. Bagobiri, denouncing that "many of us are disappointed to see that our political leaders are taking sides and known to be supporting directly or indirectly the Fulanis themselves and that is why they are fast losing the support and trust of the people".
According to the Bishop, the federal government has the responsibility of fueling the crisis because, contrary to Northern and Central Kaduna, Southern Kaduna, where the majority of Christians of the area live, is free from federal development projects.
Mgr. Kaigama stressed that Nigeria is a country that is "multi-ethnic, multi-religious and complex in nature. That is why – he concluded - we must constantly appeal to the sensibilities of our political leaders not to be seen to promote the interest of any particular group but to be neutral and seek the common things that will promote unity, fairness and equity in the Country". (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 28/03/2017)


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