Nigerian Prelate Decries Boko Haram Attacks

More than 100 people have been killed in the northeast region of Nigeria since Wednesday, in the latest spate of violence committed by the Islamist group Boko Haram.

In an interview with Vatican Radio, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos said Boko Haram “continues to kill people like animals,” adding: “I don’t know for what motive. They say it is about religion but I ask: which kind of civilized religion will kill people so aimlessly?”

“We thought they didn’t like the Christianity and that they were fighting against the Church,” he continued. “Yes, they did cause terrible destruction to Christians and to the Church.”

“But now their destruction is aimless: they kill young people, they kill women, they kill children,” he added. “Anybody in sight. It is horrendous … Who are their sponsors? Who pays for the sophisticated weapons that they use?”

He added: “We keep praying that God will create in these people a change of heart. We keep praying especially in this Passion week that the Passion of Christ be a reason for these people to know that human life is sacred and they should not kill for any reason.”