Nigerian archbishop clarifies remarks, confirms churches have been burned down

January 22, 2010

As calm returns to the north-central Nigerian city of Jos, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama has clarified comments he made about inaccurate media reports about the violence between Muslims and Christians there.

“It was affirmed that the spark that had caused the violence was from an attack and fire started at a Catholic Church. This has not happened,” he said. “It is true that a Protestant church was burned. From what I have so far managed to find out, several churches have been burned, but most are not Catholic. I repeat: there are too many rumors, including one on the destruction of the cathedral, which is absolutely not true.”

“The situation has returned to calm,” he added. “Police and army are patrolling the streets of the city and have imposed a curfew. I cannot give figures on the number of victims, how many houses, churches, or mosques have been burned, in part because of the curfew that does not allow me to move about freely. I fear that both Christians and Muslims will inflate figures regarding their victims. The authorities should be impartial and honest in presenting data on casualties and damage.”

In addition, the bishops of the ecclesiastical province of Ibadan have issued a statement denouncing the violence.

15% of Nigeria’s 142.5 million people are Catholic; 25% are Protestant, and 50% are Muslim.

 

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Further information:

• “The spread of false information increases the violence,” Archbishop of Jos tells Fides (Fides)
• “We denounce all perpetrators of this shameful conspiracy,” say Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ibadan (Fides)
• Nigerian archbishop slams media reports on Muslim-Christian fighting (CWN, 1/21)