Again, the Nigerian church was attacked on the Christmas Day by those who are bent on persecuting the church and if possible see that the Christian minority in the northern part of the country constantly live in fear. Gunmen, suspected to be Boko Haram members, attacked the Church of Christ in Nigeria at Piri village near Potiskum in Yobe State, at about 1am. The church was at a prayer session. They killed the pastor of the church, Yohana Sini, and another member by slitting their throats before their wives and children. Four other people were also shot and several others seriously injured. Then, the murderers who also went with explosives, destroyed the church and set ablaze 21 houses in the attack that lasted for about three hours.
Like we said in the part one of this write-up, these attacks on churches and Christians in the northern part of the country have become constant for the part two years. No week passes without the news of attacks on Christians. You remember that just last October (28/10/12), a suicide bomber attacked St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Ugwan Yero in Mallai, Kaduna. That satanic messenger of death rammed his Honda CRV into the children’s section, as the church was taking Holy Communion and instantly killed eight people and injured scores of worshippers, including the parish priest. And many of those injured may have also died later. I wept as I watched those little innocent dismembered bodies and other lucky (?) ones writhing in pains in the hospital, as they were shown on the television. I still ask what crime these little children committed to be blown apart that way. Even if their parents committed a ‘crime’ by being Christians, how about those little kids??
On the previous Christmas (2011), the Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State was also bombed, leaving scores of worshipers dead or maimed. The same day, another church was bombed in Bauchi.
The attacks on the Christians have become a daily affair. In fact, the list has become increasingly endless. Now, there are series of questions to ask as this massacre continues: who are actually those behind this massacre? Why attack Christians and churches when the problem was initially between Islamic sects in the North Eastern part of the country? Where were the security agents when this latest church was attacked, since the location, Piri, is just two kilometres west of Potiskum town, which is the epicentre of Boko Haram? The government and security agencies had very sufficient intelligence that there were imminent attacks planned in the country on the Christmas Day. The security alert was all over the media on the Christmas Eve. Who was supposed to protect this particular church?
Then, what has the northern elites the governors, Muslim leaders and clerics, serving and former military leaders and traditional rulers done to stop this criminal madness? Have they really done enough? Why have some of them totally refused to say anything or at least publicly condemn this ongoing massacre of fellow citizens? Why are the mosques spared most times but churches destroyed all the time? Is this silence conspiratory? What has the government done to stop this? Has our military done its best? Do they know that war has been declared against the nation, her citizens and freedom? And if all these are done under a Christian president, what will eventually happen when a Muslim takes over? Why is the international community – United Nations, US, Britain and others – still watching from afar, as these enemies of civilization reign in Nigeria ? Do they still remember that terrorism has no boundaries, that terrorism anywhere in the world is terrorism everywhere? Or do they think that they would eventually be spared at last?
To some of you, I leave these ageless words of Mordecai to Queen Esther at a time the people of God were facing a similar threat with you: “Don’t think for a moment that you will escape there in the palace when all other Jews (others) are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die.” We must all now arise and act decisively and very quickly too. Yes, now! Compliments of the Season!
Rev. Agbo is the author of the book, Power of Midnight Prayer, and a minister with the Assemblies of God Nigeria. 08037113283. gabrielagbo@yahoo.com.
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