Christians in some of the North Eastern States of Borno, Yobe, Gombe and Adamawa, could not celebrate the traditional Christmas yesterday, this is because of the activities of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram in these areas.
Christmas celebration reminded Christians of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.
Spokesperson, for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for the North East zone, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, disclosed this to our Correspondent on telephone from Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
According to him, following the ban in vehicular movement in Borno State, most of the Christians in the State, have not been able to travel to the neigbouring states, like Bauchi to worship and participate in Christmas celebration with other Christians there.
“You are aware that Churches in most of the Boko Haram affected states like Borno, Yobe, Gombe and Adamawa, were burnt down. Some of the worshipers are either in the emergency camps scattered across these states, while others are still hiding on top of the hills.”
Boko Haram insurgents have driven thousands of Christians from areas of Borno State, with some of those remaining unable to hold services, church leaders said.
He recalled that Boko Haram had attacked and killed at least 150 members of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria, or EYN) in the past 10 months causing some 8,000 Christians to flee.
“Most of our church members affected by these attacks have fled to other communities, and they are in desperate need for help,” said Rev. Daniel Yumuna, Jos district secretary for the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria.
Militants from the Islamic extremist group also destroyed 15 places of worship belonging to EYN, which is the dominant denomination in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states in northeastern Nigeria with 180,000 members.”
NEMA spokesperson added that Boko Haram in Borno State alone, has killed at least 900 Christians in the past year since its stated campaign to establish strict Sharia (Islamic law) throughout the country.
“The Boko Haram gunmen forced about 8,000 people out of Barawa area and set fire on nine churches, while 400 houses were destroyed.” The Rev. Samuel Dante Dali, president of EYN, says in a denomination report that church services have become impossible in some areas.
“They attacked Christians from house to house and burned almost every church in the Gwoza and Gavva areas,” Dali states in the report. “Most of the EYN churches in these areas are close to Cameroon. About 2,000 of our church members have fled to Cameroon as refugees.”
He added majority of the Christians also who fled to Cameroon, would also be cut off from the traditional Christmas celebration, “because some of them can barely speak or understand English language. Cameroon speak s both English and French as official language, so they would not understand what is going on. In fact Nigerians who fled to Cameroon are not allowed to move around by the Cameroonian security forces.”
