'Nigerian Government Not Taking Christian Attacks Seriously'

‘Nigerian Government Not Taking Christian Attacks Seriously’ – US Congressman.
Huizinga warns of another African atrocity if action is delayed.
He urges Abuja to adopt clear plans against insecurity.

A United States Congressman, Bill Huizinga, has strongly criticised the Nigerian government for what he described as its lack of seriousness in addressing the persistent attacks on Christian communities across the country.

Speaking in an interview with Arise Television, Huizinga faulted Abuja’s handling of the crisis, describing the government’s response as “dismissive.” He noted that the frequency and nature of the attacks show signs of an organised and targeted campaign against Christian populations.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that according to him, the United States must act swiftly to prevent another humanitarian catastrophe in Africa, citing the global community’s past failures to respond early in Rwanda and South Sudan.

Huizinga disclosed that he had personally met with survivors and religious leaders who said they felt deliberately targeted in recurring assaults on their homes and communities. He urged the Nigerian government to move beyond rhetoric and adopt concrete, proactive measures to safeguard its citizens.

He said, “I’m glad that we’re able to do this. This is something that’s been very, very important, and as I’ve been saying to some of my colleagues, we were too late on Rwanda. We were too late on South Sudan and a number of other atrocities that have happened in Africa and other places around the world. So let’s not be too late again on this one.

“What I’m concerned about in particular is, you look at the Fulani and the radicalized Islamists, how they are attacking both moderate Muslims as well as the Christians. And I think it’s hard to deny, when you see 200 Christians slaughtered on Christmas eve a few years ago. Clearly it was a coordinated attack. And I’ve talked to people that were in the village. I’ve talked to religious leaders who have been experiencing this for years. They feel targeted.

“They know that when their homes are being entered or they’re being attacked in the middle of the night, this is not just some sort of oh, people are in conflict. They feel very much targeted. Because of that, the US response has been swift.

“So I want to get serious about it, because, again, I’m not convinced that the Nigerian government has taken the situation seriously. They need to demonstrate what they are doing to protect not just Christians, but certainly Christians, and what they are doing and proposing to lower that violence threshold.

“And you know, earlier you’re asking, have I been satisfied with the response? No, because I think their response has been ‘no, there’s really not a problem’.

“Well, I think there is a problem, and I’d like for them to demonstrate either very clearly why they think there is no problem, which, again, as I had said in the meeting with the Foreign Minister, that I don’t think that was adequately addressed at all, and more satisfactorily, what is their plan to deal with the violence in Nigeria, and both against Christians.

“But I think in general, much of the other, the many of the other situations that are violent, you know, and we talked earlier a little bit about the importance of Nigeria in in not just West Africa, but the whole African continent, and the economic success and potential that is there they have.”

Christian Attacks Seriously US Congressman

Huizinga further highlighted Nigeria’s strategic importance to West Africa’s stability and growth, warning that unchecked insecurity could destabilise the region. He urged Abuja to act decisively to stop further bloodshed and restore citizens’ confidence in government protection.