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Archbishop appeals for urgent help to prevent Christian genocide in northwest Nigeria
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Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso of Kaduna, Nigeria. <span class="m_7487616654575247718m_5260068145981005062gmail-credit">Antoine Mekary, Aleteia </span>
<p class="m_7487616654575247718m_5260068145981005062gmail-by">Diane Montagna</p>
<p class="m_7487616654575247718m_5260068145981005062gmail-article-date">Mon Apr 29, 2019 - 2:38 pm EST</p>
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<p>KADUNA, NIGERIA, April 29, 2019 (<a href="https://www.lifesitenews.com/catholic" target="_blank">LifeSiteNews</a>)
— <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>Hundreds of</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>Christians</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>ha<span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">ve been killed in recent months and entire </span></b><b>
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">Christian villages</span> wiped out, as the international community stands by
in silence</b></span>, <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>an archbishop</b></span> at the heart of the persecution in northwest
Nigeria<span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)"><b> has said in</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>an urgent appeal for help.</b></span></p><p>Speaking with
LifeSite by phone from his archdiocese in Kaduna on Friday, April 26,
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>Archbishop</b></span> Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso <span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)"><b>said</b></span> that <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>“Christians</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>are being
killed like chickens,” and time is running out. </b></span></p><p>“<span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)"><b>Right now, as I
am talking to you, the rainy season has come </b></span>a<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>nd villagers who provide
food for us</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b><span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">are afraid </span></b><b>to go to their farms</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>because <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">they</span> will be
kidnapped, </b><b>because <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">they</span> will be killed,” </b></span>he said. “So I do actually fear
that if nothing happens between now and the next two months when people
are supposed to be planting and they don’t go to their farm, only <span style="background-color:rgb(208,224,227)"><b>God
knows what will happen to us next year in terms of food security.”</b></span></p></div>
<div>
<p>Archbishop Ndagoso said he believes the targeted attacks on Christian
villages by Fulani extremists are not only religiously motivated but
stem also from “injustice and impunity.” </p><p>He explained that <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>the
Nigerian constitution safeguards freedom and equality of religion</b></span>. But
he said <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>in the northwest states of Nigeria where Muslims number close to
98 percent of the population, Sharia law permeates <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">the legal system</span>,
and illiteracy rates are high, </b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>Christians </b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>are “a very tiny minority</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>who
</b></span>unfortunately in the eyes of some <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>do not count.”</b></span></p><p><span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">Archbishop
Ndagoso is therefore appealing </span>to the Trump administration and the
entire international community </b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>to help the Nigerian government to ensure
security for its people.</b></span></p><p>“I have always said: the first duty of
every government anywhere in the world is to protect and safeguard the
lives and property of their citizenry. But I can tell you right now in
our country that is not the case, especially in the northwest. Citizens
are being killed like chickens,” the archbishop repeated. </p><p><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>The
mainstream media</b> <b>has been largely silent about the intense persecution
of</b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b> Christians<span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"> </span></b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>in northern Nigeria.</b></span> Earlier this month, following a
string of attacks, Nigerian born pro-life activist Obianuju Ekeocha
tweeted out: </p>
<blockquote><p>Please can the international media cover the intense suffering and killing of Christians in my country?
Please can celebrities have at least one vigil (like the one they had for those killed in the New Zealand mosque)?
Don’t Christians deserve vigils too?<a href="https://t.co/JgbLlADjnv" target="_blank">https://t.co/JgbLlADjnv</a></p>
— Obianuju Ekeocha (@obianuju) <a href="https://twitter.com/obianuju/status/1114834368114102272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">April 7, 2019</a></blockquote><p>Archbishop
Ndagoso appealed for urgent help for his people, saying: “Any person,
any organization, any institution that has influence: let this influence
be used for the common good. And right now, let that influence be used
for the common good of Nigeria so that peace may reign in our country.
This is my call.” </p><p>Here below is our interview with His Excellency Matthew Ndagoso of the Archdiocese of Kaduna.</p><p><b>Your
Excellency, can you tell us about the nature of the persecution in your
region of Nigeria and why Christians are being targeted?</b></p><p><span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>Nigeria
is about the only country in the world where you have more or less an
equal number of Christians and Muslims, of course along with followers
of traditional religions.</b></span> That said, <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>there is a concentration of
Christians in the southern part of the country, especially in the
southeast. There is also a concentration of Muslims in the north,
especially the northwest. </b></span></p><p>Our ecclesiastical province of Kaduna
is situated <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">in <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>the</b></span></span><b> northwest</b><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">. It </span><b>has the highest concentration of
Muslims; in fact, certain states within the region are almost 98 percent
Muslim. Therefore, in these states,<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"> Christians</span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">are a very tiny</span> minority
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"> who </span>unfortunately <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">in the eyes of some do not count.</span> </b></span></p><p>Even though
our constitution provides freedom of religion, freedom of expression,
and equality of everyone before the law, <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>Christians</b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b> <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">in these northwest
states where Muslims <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">command</span></span><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"> </span>the majority <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">are </span>not taken seriously.</b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b> Their
rights</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>are not respected,</b></span> because <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>they are only tolerated, not treated
</b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>as equals.</b></span> </p><p>It is always very difficult especially as it pertains
to the acquisition of land for the building of churches. You will be
surprised to know that <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>in some of these states the last time <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">a legal
certificate of occupancy was given for</span> <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">the building of a church</span> would
have been during<span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"> the Colonial era.</span></b></span> Once the local government knows a
certificate of occupancy is going to be given to a church, you won’t get
it. They will tell you to go and follow the due process — the due
process that doesn’t exist. And when you try to follow it, you won’t get
it. So it makes it very, very difficult. </p><p>I repeat, <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>even though</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>
the constitution guarantees freedom of religion</b></span>, <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>in these states the
authorities don’t respect<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"> it.</span></b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>That is the kind of persecution that
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">Christians</span>, especially in the northwest of Nigeria, are undergoing. </b></span></p><p>You
don’t normally see<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b> people</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>being killed — except by Boko Haram and the
extremists – but there is a systemic persecution<span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"> </span></b><b>of</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>Christians</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>in these
states</b></span>. The political leaders do not have the political will to address
the issues, to enforce the provisions of the constitution regarding the
equality of religions and the equality of citizens before the law. </p><p><b>So
there is a systemic persecution of Christians arising from tension
between the national constitution and local enforcement of those
provisions. But haven’t there also been attacks on Christian villages by
Boko Haram or the Fulani herdsman? </b></p><p>Yes. <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>Since last
October there have been serious attacks in </b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>villages</b></span> especially in my
archdiocese of Kaduna. <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>Hundreds and hundreds of</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>villagers</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>have been
killed. </b></span></p><p>It is an ethnic and cultural problem. <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>The Fulani are
animal herders and a lot of them are not settled. </b></span>Unfortunately, over
the years the leadership of the states — which has always, except for a
very brief moment, been in the hands of Muslim leaders — don’t seem to
have taken seriously the concern of people in these rural areas. So<span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>,
there is constant conflict, caused mainly by poverty and ignorance,
</b><b>between</b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b> the Fulani herders</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>and the local people, who are mostly
Christian and <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">followers of the traditional religion. </span></b></span></p><p>This
conflict has led to attacks and the burning of so many villages. I can
tell you that<span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b> between January and now, more than 10 <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">villages that are
mostly Christian </span>have been burned and destroyed.</b></span> There are thousands and
thousands of IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) in villages around the
area whom we are looking after. </p><p><b>Is it also a religious persecution?</b></p><p><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>The
attackers are so-called <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">“herders”</span> and are supposed to be <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">religious</span></b></span>.
Yes, religion is part of it, but I think <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>the biggest problem is the
injustice</b></span> that exists for the local people. People sometimes see it as
discrimination against them because of their religion, because they do
not belong to the Islamic religion. <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>The few <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">Muslims </span>that live among them
are provided with amenities, and so they see it as preferential
treatment for the <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">Muslims </span>against <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">the Christians</span>. </b></span></p><p>I think truly
it is a matter of that systemic injustice that has been perpetrated for
over a century. Since the post-colonial era, most of the leaders here
have been Muslims, and I think not enough has been done to allay the
fears of Christians and followers of traditional religions. That is why
they see it as a persecution against them because of their own
religion. </p><p>Essentially, for me, it is injustice and impunity —<span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>
people do things without punishment and they get away with it.</b></span> Many
villages have been burned, many hundreds of people have been killed and
yet we do not have any rest. </p><p>Unfortunately, local leaders among
the Christians and followers of the traditional religions are the ones
who are arrested and imprisoned while nothing has been done about those
who have been killing. This is why people think it is religious
discrimination. This is the reality they are living with. </p></div><p><b>Does your state, like many in the north, live under Sharia law?</b></p><p>You
will recall that <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>around 2001 we had the Sharia problem </b></span>here in Kaduna.
Like it or not, <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>Sharia law has been applied in so many places,
especially when you go to local courts where the judges are <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">Muslims</span>.
Even though <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">in law</span> <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)">there are supposed to be native law courts and sharia
courts,</span> very often in these places you will discover that the attitude
is permeated by Sharia law.</b></span></p><p><b>Yet in Western Nigeria, Christians and Muslims live side by side in peace. </b></p><p>Exactly.<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>
In the Western part</b></span>, it is also closely evenly divided between
Christians and Muslims. They have lived very well. I think they have
understood what religion is all about.<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"> </span><span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">In one family, you will find
Christians and Muslims living together.</span> </b></span></p><p><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>Of course, it is the most
educated part of the country. The rate of literacy in the Western part
of Nigeria is very high. Therefore, they have come to understand what
religion is about and they are able to manage their religious
differences. They don’t see it as <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">a problem</span>. They help each other. It is
our hope to one day come to this place.</b></span> </p><p><b>What message do
you have for people outside Nigeria, especially in the West, regarding a
solution to the persecution of Christians?</b></p><p>What I would say to those outside the country is that <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>all we are asking for is justice. </b></span></p><p>Our
constitution is very clear about the equality of citizens. People
anywhere in Nigeria should be treated according to the constitution. I
think it is a big problem that in certain parts of the country people
are blatantly ignoring with impunity the provisions of the constitution
and doing things according to your religious beliefs. I don't think this
is right. In this country, I think we should have one constitution
guiding people equally. </p><p>As a Christian, as a Catholic, canon law
applies to us when as Christians dealing with ourselves within the
Church. The same thing should also apply to Muslims. But when it comes
to dealing with citizens, I think the constitution should be supreme.
There are places in northern Nigeria where the constitution is not
supreme, and this is why it is leading to discrimination against
others. </p><p><span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>We are signatories to international laws, to human rights
conventions, and our government should be prevailed upon to respect and
treat every Nigerian according to the law. Every Nigerian should be
treated equally. </b></span></p><p>Unfortunately, the international community knows what is happening, and yet people behave as though nothing is happening. </p><p><b><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">What
action would you like the US administration under President Trump to
take</span> — perhaps in the United Nations —<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"> to bring pressure on the
international community to address this issue and to help Nigeria.</span></b></p><p>Exactly.
If I tell you <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>the level of insecurity in our country today you won’t
believe it, especially among the people in the northwest, especially in
Kaduna. It is one of the states where everybody walks around afraid.
There are kidnappers and bandits and they are killing<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"> people. </span></b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>Villages
</b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>are being burned down.</b></span> In other parts of the country if something
happens, the president shows up. But here people are being killed and
nothing is being done about it. All we are asking is that the
international community prevail upon our country. </p><p>I have always
said:<span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b> the first duty of every government anywhere in the world is to
protect and safeguard the lives and property of their citizenry.</b></span> But I
can tell you right now in our country that is not the case, especially
in the northwest. <span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"><b>Citizens </b></span>a<span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>re being killed like chickens</b></span>. </p><p>Therefore,
I think the international community should prevail upon our government
to ensure the lives and property of our citizens are protected. This is
what we want. <span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Once security is assured, people can go about their
business. </span></p><p>Right now, as I am talking to you, the rainy season has
come and villagers who provide food for us are afraid to go to their
farms because they will be kidnapped, because they will be killed. So I
do actually fear that if nothing happens between now and the next two
months when people are supposed to be planting and they don’t go to
their farm, only God knows what will happen to us next year in terms of
food security. These are things the international community needs to
talk about. Yesterday, our senate was talking about security. I think
not enough — I repeat, not enough has been done to protect the lives of
the citizens and property in this country, especially in the northwest.
This is what we want the international community to focus on. </p><p><b>Have any priests of your archdiocese been caught in the violence?</b></p><p><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><span></span><b>One
of my priests</b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b> was kidnapped. </b></span>It happened on March 6th. For the first
two weeks we were hearing from the kidnappers, but since April 8th we
have not heard a word from him. So we are afraid. <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>We are not even sure
whether he is alive.</b></span> Even if he is dead, we want his dead body back so
that we can bury him. It’s over a month now that he’s in captivity so<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b> we
<span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">fear that he may have been killed.</span> </b></span></p><p>He is not the only one. There
are many others in captivity who have been kidnapped. <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>Men, women and
children</b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b> are being kidnapped for ransom</b></span>. Unfortunately, <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>many have been
killed. Sometimes, even after collecting the ransom they kill<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"> the
people</span>. </b></span></p><p>It is very rampant, and nothing is being done. <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>People</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>feel helpless</b></span>. People are despondent. People <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>are hopeless.</b></span></p><p><b>As a bishop, <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">how do you guide your people through this?</span></b></p><p>Well,<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>
our religion is a religion of hope, especially as we are in the Easter
Season. The message of Easter is really clear</b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>: violence and evil </b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>do not
have</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>the last word. </b></span>No matter how difficult the situation is, <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>our hope
is that our God is always in charge. The victory of Christ over</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>sin and
death </b></span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>is our hope</b></span>. No matter how dark the days are, there will be a
daybreak.<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b> That is the message I give my people.</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>The worst enemy of<span style="background-color:rgb(217,234,211)"> every
religion</span>, particularly <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">the Christian religion</span>, is hopelessness.</b></span> <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)"><b>If
people lose hope, they feel they have nothing to <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)">live for</span>.</b></span> So this is my
message, this is my work, this is the difficult path I have now. <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>Our
challenge now is to keep people’s hope alive,</b></span> because if they become
hopeless then you can be sure the worst will happen. <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>So my task as a
religious leader is to keep hope alive, especially in the face of the
victory of Christ over <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">sin and death</span>.</b></span> Evil does not have to last word.
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>At the end of the day, good will prevail over <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">evil,</span> and so that is the
message that I give to my people. </b></span></p><p><b>Is there anything else you would like to add?</b></p><p><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>We
need help</b></span> in terms of prevailing on our government regarding the
security situation now. <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>If there is anything the international community
can do to help our government in terms of security because they look
<span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">helpless as it is now</span>.</b></span> Therefore,<span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b> if there is anything anybody can do to
help our government secure security to our country – especially
regarding the insurgency of <span style="background-color:rgb(234,209,220)">killing and kidnapping</span> – I think we would
appreciate it. </b></span>What we want is for people to be able to move freely, to
have their businesses, to tend to their farms, to live normal lives,
this is what we want for Nigeria. At the moment, I can tell you this is
not the case. </p><p><span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>Any person, any organization, any institution that
has influence: let this influence be used for the common good.</b></span> And right
now, let that influence be used for the common good of Nigeria <span style="background-color:rgb(255,242,204)"><b>so that
peace may reign in our country. This is my call.</b></span></p><br></div>