'Churches bombed and Christians attacked as violence spreads in Nigeria ahead of Presidential elections. Police warn worship areas are targets. Fears that jihad has been launched to create chaos and force state of emergency. Archbishop of Jos fears city could be overrunThere are warnings that growing violence in Nigeria is being instigated by extremists who want to stir up religious violence and create a state of emergency ahead of the Presidential elections. The Archbishop of Jos fears the city could be overrun and is calling for increased security.
A blast on Sunday killed two suspected bombers, but failed to catch the churchgoers for which it was probably intended. In other attacks in Jos three Christians were killed and six stabbed.
These are just the latest in a series of attacks which have claimed hundreds of lives over the past year. A partner of Release International, which serves persecuted Christians, believes the aim behind the attacks is to whip up sectarian violence ahead of the April elections.
The Stefanos Foundation points to a newspaper statement calling for jihad allegedly published by a Jos Muslim Elders Forum on December 30 2010 – days after the latest round of violence erupted.
It said: ‘Muslims in the State shall ensure that a few months before General Elections jihad will be declared in the State, which cannot be controlled even by security agencies, with great slaughter and massacre, which the Federal Government will have no option than to declare a State of Emergency in Plateau.’
Release International.
