Sunday, April 29, 2012

Nigeria University Christian Service Attack Kills 15

An attack on a college campus has killed at the very least 15 people and injured many others within the northern Nigerian city of Kano.  The attack appears to have targeted a morning Christian worship service.

Emergency service personnel say they heard three bombs, followed by gunshots, but by noat they were still not allowed on the scene.  Later within the day, as casualty reports trickled in, witnesses said gunmen had attacked a church service with small explosives, shooting people as they tried to escape.

Police say the attackers fled on motorcycles before security personnel arrived at the scene.

This comes after nine were killed in an attack on media houses Thursday in Abuja and Kaduna. An Islamist militant sect referred to as Boko Haram claimed responsibility for those attacks, saying the media had issued false reports in regards to the group's plans and activities.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan says the govt is doing all it is able to to fight the gang it truly is believed to be accountable for greater than 1,000 deaths because it began attacks in 2009.  In January, coordinated bombings in Kano killed nearly 200 people, and crippled the city's economy.  

In recent months, President Jonathan was actively seeking foreign logistical assistance to combat the crowd, especially from the West.  On Saturday, he condemned the gang as he visited the positioning of 1 of Thursday's bombings.

"a fear attack on any portion of the rustic is an attack on all people, and indeed the entire world because terrorists' method is to make certain they've maximum damage, so your complete world will start to take a look at their direction for relevance," he added.

U.S. lawmakers are considering naming Boko Haram a Revolutionary Organization 17 November, that may move more American resources to Nigeria.

Many Nigerians have criticized the Jonathan government for being unable to prevent Boko Haram, including the country's national security adviser who suggested the ruling party is partially responsible for the safety crisis.  

Adam Yusuf is a cook who left his wife and five children in Kano to work within the capital, but he says he's constantly afraid for his family.  Like many Nigerians, he says the govt must discover what Boko Haram wants and negotiate, rather then attempting to fight.

"Call them together and negotiate what they want," said Yusuf .  "Why are they doing so?  On account of what?  It is easy because fight[ing] cannot solve the issue.  Dialogue.”

Boko Haram says its goals are to set up an Islamic state in Nigeria, and acquire the discharge of all imprisoned members.  But Yusuf says no person really knows what they would like.



From WhatNewsToday.net

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Share

Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More