Nigerian cardinal fears army sympathy for Boko Haram

June 10, 2014

Nigeria’s leading prelate has told the Fides news agency that sympathy for the Islamist terrorist organization Boko Haram “threatens to undermine the unity of the Nigerian armed forces.”

“It is difficult, however, to quantify how many there are,” said Cardinal John Onaiyekan of Abuja. “My fear is that the campaign against Boko Haram is seen as an attack against Islam. Now this is what Boko Haram simply wants.”

“Unfortunately, even among Christians there are those who tend to present the fight against Boko Haram as a clash between Christians and Muslims,” he continued. “It is a very dangerous vision, which could undermine the unity of the police. In the army you have Christians and Muslims who have hitherto acted together, as soldiers of our armed forces.”

 

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Further information:

• "Boko Haram threatens the unity of the army", says Cardinal Onaiyekan to Fides (Fides)