BOKO HARAM CHRISTMAS ATTACK
One of the challenges Governments across the World have been tackling since the turn of the New Century in 2000 has been the rise and increase in the activities of Islamic Extremist groups who have been pursuing an agenda of eradicating anything that portrays Western orientation and civilization.
Groups like Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Jemaimah Islamiyah, Fatah, Talibans and Janjaweed Militias, have been involved in orchestrating and carrying out widespread operations targeted at Christians and anything that has Western connotation or interest, creating high level tensions and insecurity in the Globe.
Leaders like George Bush former President of the United States of America could not condone this level of animosity against the west from the extremist and declared total military operations against Al-Qaeda and the Talibans, despite criticisms from the International Community.
President Obama completed the task of leading the Operations that killed Osama Bin Laden the number one state enemy of the U.S, the one who dedicated himself to the induction of youth with a 'Hate' orientation towards the West and Christians, a very dangerous trend.
Now Nigeria a Nation that has relative population of Christians and Muslims is experiencing a serious time of turbulence and tension orchestrated by an Islamic extremist Group Boko Haram who have as their mission and agenda 'The Eradication of Western Ideology in Nigeria' and the 'Implementation of Sharia Law in the Country'.
Between July 2010 and December 2011 the Militia group has through its bombing operations killed over 250 Nigerians mostly in the Northern regions attacking Public and International Buildings like the United Nations Building, Police Headquarters, Banks, Central Squares, Recreational Centres etc.
This has put Nigeria in the spotlight and it has now dawned on our Nation that what we use to watch in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sudan, has gradually and slowly crept into our nation even to a phenomenal level that can escalate to a mass scale religious/ civil war.
A situation where the Boko Haram Islamic militia group claimed responsibility for the bombing of Four Churches in different locations on the Christmas day celebration for 2011, shows the height of animosity this extremist group has against the Christians.
As a Christian writing this, I know some people will say I am biased in my analysis but I am open to any criticism, my Christmas celebration was marred by the recent attack I really felt sad about the whole incident and the report that over 20 people lost their lives.
Now a lot of Nigerians feel President Goodluck Jonathan is weak in his approach to the issues of Insecurity in the Nation especially the activities of the 'Boko Haram' group ,but that is not the issue, the reality here is that as the first ever Minority President of Nigeria(From my Region), there is a calculated attempt from this group to frustrate and render this Government ineffective in all ramification.
The Mistake Boko Haram has made is to take it to a 'religious dimension', it is totally unacceptable and is a very atrocious action . What this means is that 'Anything Western and Christian is Evil', where is the peaceful co-existence that the Pastors and Imams preach?
It is on this basis that I challenge the Northern and Islamic Leaders to come up with a clear plan to engage community efforts to fish out the various elements of this Group. We cannot continue like this as a nation, living in fear and intimidation especially as Christians.
For those that can remember this is what sparked the ethno-religious civil war in Sudan, when Dr Joseph Garang of the SPLA movement a Christian was killed by Government forces, during the Civil War period the Islamic extremist group the Janjaweed Militias perpetrated atrocities on the South killing, raping and maiming the Christians in the South.
Gen Omar El-Bashir the Sudanese President did nothing to checkmate the activities of this deadly militia group and the Christian south had no option but to fight and resist the militias and with the Support of the United States and the United Nations seceded from the North and became the latest recognized state 'Southern Sudan'.
My fear is that if the activities of the Boko Haram group is not curtailed, it may pose serious danger and threats to the stability and unity of our Nation, I call on the Northern and Islamic Leaders to arise and take real action to stem the tide of this group, because it is already an indictment on their leadership that this group can take it to the religious level.
Christians in Nigeria are for peace and not for war, our generous posture and forgiving nature must not be taken for granted, we will not be intimidated and cajoled in the fear of going to worship the Lord whether in the North or the South.
Ottoabasi Abasiekong is a Public and International Affairs Analyst