18 January 2012
Hundreds of Christians who escaped from Yobe State following persistent attacks on them by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect are now taking refuge in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
Many of the displaced persons, including the Vice Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Jeremiah Sara, were seen in churches and mission guest houses in Jos with some already seeking permanent accommodation to resettle in the state.
Many of them told journalists that they are unlikely to return to Yobe State because of threat by the sect to wipe them out.
Sara described the situation in the state as grave, noting that Christians in Potiskum could no longer hold church services for fear of attack by the Boko Haram.
The northern Christians who spoke under the auspices of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, said it was wrong to compensate criminals when innocent people killed by the group had not been catered for by the government. They asked the state government to pay N500 million compensation to each family of Christians murdered by the sect.
In a statement by Northern CAN’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Sunday Oibe in Kaduna, they said: “The decision of the Borno State government to compensate the in-laws of the Boko Haram Islamic sect leader without equally compensating other Nigerians killed by members of the sect goes to show the insensitivity of the government towards the losses suffered by other Nigerians.
“We are dumbfounded that the Borno State governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, who swore to defend and protect the 1999 Constitution could use tax payers’ money to compensate an outlaw who is responsible for the killings and destruction of property of innocent Nigerians, particularly Christians.
“Is the Borno State government saying that the life of the in-law of the Boko Haram leader is more important than that of many innocent Nigerians who are being murdered freely by his blood thirsty followers?”We are baffled by the action of the government.
“We, therefore, demand for N500 million compensation to each family of other Nigerians killed by Boko Haram Islamic sect from the Borno State government in the interest of justice, equity and fair play.”
AllAfrica – All the Time