Buhari: Attacks on churches in Nigeria politically motivated

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to rise together against the machinations of shadowy figures seeking to set a section of the country against the other.

Reacting to the latest attack on a church in Kaduna, during which quite a number of worshippers were kidnapped, the President, in a statement, observes that the citizens’ religious freedom and their diversity are the backbone of Nigeria’s greatness.

Signed by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President urged Nigerians to stay focus and not be divided by the obviously planned and politically motivated criminal outrages.

The President describes the perpetrators of the attack as cowards, weak, and wicked men with guns murdering, in cold blood, unarmed women and children at their places of worship.

Having noted the starkness of the contrast between the actions of those hateful cowards and those of true Nigerians in the aftermath of Owo, the President says he was moved by the willingness of great number of Nigerians voluntarily rushing to donate blood after the attack, thereby re-kindled his hope that Nigerians will always be their brother’s keeper in difficult situations.

While giving the assurance that the attackers will be punished for their crime, the President urges the citizenry to come together in prayer, and hold the victims and their families in hearts and minds.

“For now, I urge all Nigerians to come together in prayer-whether Christian, Muslim, or any of our great faiths- let us hold the victims and their families in our hearts and minds.

“Let us show the cowards who seek to divide us along religious lines that we will not be divided. Let us show them that Nigerians will continue to cherish what we share while respecting each other’s differences. Let us show them that Nigerians will never be bullied by cowards, extremists, or terrorists.”

The statement by President Buhari comes after a spate of attacks targeting churches in the country over the last few days.

Gunmen killed eight people and kidnapped 38 others in an attack on two churches in the northern state of Kaduna on Sunday.

Two weeks ago, gunmen wielding AK-47 rifles and explosives attacked St Francis Catholic Church in Owo town, killing 40 people.