Series of attacks in Nigeria on December 25, 2011

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In a series of attacks on churches in Nigeria on December 25, 2011 , on Christmas Day 2011 in northern Nigeria, at least 39 people were killed and dozens more injured. The Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the attacks in Madalla , Jos , Gadaka , and Damaturu .

background

In the so-called Sharia conflict , Boko Haram is officially fighting for the introduction of a strict form of Sharia and has already committed itself several times to bomb attacks and attacks on churches and state institutions in Nigeria . They allegedly wanted to retaliate for the deaths of Muslims during Eid al-Fitr in early September. In 2010 there were already more than 80 deaths in attacks on Christian Christmas celebrations. In the weeks leading up to Christmas 2011, the conflict worsened due to skirmishes between government troops and Boko Haram in the northeast of the country. According to human rights activists, more than 100 people were killed, including numerous Islamist fighters. Many residents were on the run at the time of the attacks.

Christoph von Marschall said in the Tagesspiegel that it was not a question of a religious conflict; in fact, people were arguing “not about theological questions”. The background is rather "a long power struggle between the Muslim north and the Christian south for influence and resources". The driving forces behind violence are "a complicated mix of striving for social emancipation, economic participation and revenge for injustice suffered."

attacks

In the attack on the St. Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, a 40 km from the center of Abuja remote satellite town were, according to the National Emergency Management Agency killed 35 people (NEMA) and 52 other partially critically injured. A bomb exploded outside the church, which has a capacity of about 1,000 people to attend the service. The building was severely damaged by the explosion.

An explosion also occurred at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church in Jos. One person was killed as a result. An armed man later opened fire on the police and killed one of the officers. Two other explosive devices were found and defused in a nearby house.

Two more explosions occurred in the city of Damaturu and another at a church in the northwestern Nigerian city of Gadaka. At least one of the two attacks in Damaturu was the act of a suicide bomber who rammed a car into the headquarters of the state security service in the city. Three people were killed in this explosion.

Reactions

The attacks were condemned worldwide. There were several acts of revenge in the aftermath of the attacks. On December 27th, strangers threw an incendiary device into a Koran school in Port Harcourt . The president of the Christian umbrella organization (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor , called on Christians to defend themselves . In addition, Muslim leaders and traditional rulers are jointly responsible because they do not condemn terrorism sharply enough.

The Nigerian government appealed to Christians not to retaliate for the attacks. The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar , said it was not about a "conflict between Muslims and Christians", but between "bad and good people".

On New Year's Eve, President Goodluck Jonathan proclaimed a state of emergency in Borno and parts of Yobe , Niger and Plateau in view of the attacks .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Christmas attacks in Nigeria by Muslim sect kill 39 (English) . In: USA Today \ AP , December 25, 2011. 
  2. ↑ More than 50 dead in fighting in Nigeria Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of December 24, 2011
  3. ↑ Nigerian Taliban commit to attack , Welt Online, December 27, 2011
  4. ↑ It's not about religion , Zeit Online from December 27, 2011
  5. ↑ a b 28 killed in Nigeria church blasts . DNA. December 25, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
  6. ↑ Nigeria churches hit by blasts during Christmas prayers . BBC . December 25, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
  7. ↑ Christmas bombs target Nigeria churches . In: Al Jazeera , December 25, 2011. 
  8. ^ A b Dominic Johnson : Tens of thousands in Nigeria on the run. In: the daily newspaper . December 28, 2011, accessed December 28, 2011 .
  9. ↑ a b Katrin Gänsler: Fear of the religious war. In: the daily newspaper. January 5, 2012, accessed January 10, 2012 .
  10. ↑ Series of attacks: Nigerian leadership calls for no retaliation, Focus Online of December 27, 2011
  11. ↑ Islamists kill Christians again. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. January 7, 2012, accessed January 9, 2012 .