Nigerian Leader Claims Boko Haram to Use Poison in Jihad Against Christians
The Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram is allegedly planning to declare holy war on Southern Nigeria, where most Christians are concentrated, and might use food poisoning tactics to kill as many as possible, according to the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
"We have information and documents to show that this is a Jihad being sponsored and we have our documents to show where they have dispatched 2,000 people to prepare for Jihad to South East, 2,500 to South-South and about 2,000 to South West," said Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, CAN Chairman and Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese.
The organization also warned that Boko Haram, responsible for killing hundreds of Christians since 2011 with church bombings and shootings, is planning to lace meat in these southern areas with poisonous powder. CAN specifically warned residents to be careful about eating suya, which is a shish kebab-type food that can be made with various types of meats.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
According to a report from Vangard, Bishop Chukwuma said: "We are warning our people to be careful of suya because we have now heard that they will start poisoning people through suya. They know the suya they give themselves in the North and suya they give to the people in the South. So people should be careful of suya.
"That is part of the information available to us now. There is a powder that is now being imported which they will spread on suya and after two weeks it will start eating your liver and other organs. We have gotten that information also."
Boko Haram directly admitted in a recent statement to wanting to wipe out Christians from Nigeria and establish Islamist rule.
"The Nigerian state and Christians are our enemies and we will be launching attacks on the Nigerian state and its security apparatus as well as churches until we achieve our goal of establishing an Islamic state in place of the secular state," Boko Haram declared in a statement last week, owning up to terrorist attacks last Sunday that killed at least six people and injured dozens.
Christians account for 40 percent of Nigeria's population, while 50 percent are Muslim, and 10 percent practice indigenous beliefs, according to statistics from the U.S. State Department. Most of Nigeria's Muslims live in the North.
The Vatican, which has condemned the continuous attacks on Christians in Nigeria, once again called for peace this past week.
"I am following with deep concern the news from Nigeria, where terrorist attacks are continuing, especially against Christians," Pope Benedict XVI said in his weekly address.
"I appeal to those responsible for the violence to immediately stop spilling the blood of innocent people," the head of the Holy See added.
So far, his pleas and the pleas of the Nigerian people have fallen on deaf ears, and many are showing their frustration and anger not only with the terrorists but also with the Nigerian government, which has been unable to contain the deadly attacks.
"Are Christians no longer free to worship God on Sundays? What are the security operatives doing on Sundays when they know that Sundays have become a target to bomb Christians? What is the Inspector General of Police doing? Is changing of uniform the reformation that we want or action to make what is happening in the North to be stampeded and stopped. Again, what are the members of the House of Representatives and Senate doing to promulgate law that will sanction those perpetrating this evil?" asked Bishop Chukwuma.
Chukuwma has also claimed that Christians in Nigeria are prepared to take on Boko Haram "physically and spiritually" in order to maintain their right to worship.
"We also want to put an alert that Christians in the South are ready to face them squarely because we heard that they have infiltrated this place, especially Enugu. We are prepared for war -- physically and spiritually against any form of attack on the church. Time has come for reprisal because nobody can stop us from worshiping our God," the spiritual leader said.
