Christians in Nigeria considering fleeing after latest attack

At least 17 people have been killed in another attack on Christian communities in Nigeria.

The Christian Igbo group was meeting in a town hall in Mubi when gunmen burst in and opened fire.

It caps a week of deadly attacks on Christians in the predominantly Muslim north. The surge in violence coincides with the expiration of the Wednesday deadline for Christians to leave the region that was set by Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

Hours after the deadline expired, gunmen attacked a Christian compound in the Yobe state capital of Damaturu, killing two people and wounding several others.

The heads of Pompomari Ward in Yobe state and Shehuri Ward in Borno state were shot and killed by gunmen.

On Thursday, gunmen attacked a meeting at a Deeper Life church in the Gombe state capital, killing six people, including the pastor’s wife.

A local journalist told the AFP news agency that gunmen started shooting at a congregation in a church in Yola on Friday. Eight to 10 bodies were taken to the local hospital, a source told AFP.

Boko Haram, which wants to impose Sharia law, has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

the group was also behind Christmas Day attacks on churches that left at least 50 people dead.

Although President Goodluck Jonathan has attempted to halt the violence by declaring a state of emergency in four states, Christians in Damaturu told Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSW-N) of their fears that Boko Haram will change tactics to circumvent the restrictions on movement.

“We have learned that they have taken note of areas where people gather, have marked Christian houses and churches, and will be attacking house by house at night,” sources told CSW-N.

Some Christians living in the north have chosen to return to the southern tribal areas that they originally come from.

Most Christians in Yobe state are from indigenous tribes and have no other home.

Sources told CSW-N: “We have our farmlands, houses and everywhere here. Our great, great, great grandparents were born here.

“It is our forefathers’ land, yet we are being left with the choice of relocating to a safer area until things improve, or staying here to die.”

CSW chief executive Mervyn Thomas called the attacks on Christians “senseless”.

He called for more action to be taken to safeguard Christians.

“If the security situation does not improve and Boko Haram systematically targets Christian houses in Yobe, people will eventually have no choice but to leave the area, and many indigenous Christians may ultimately be forced out of their ancestral homes," he said.

“We urge the Nigerian authorities to institute stringent night-time patrolling of Damaturu's predominantly Christian areas as a matter of urgency in order to ensure a return of public confidence."