War declared on Christians - church

Nigerian church groups have spoken out against a spate of church bomb blasts on Christmas Day that killed at least 40 and injured a further 60.

Among them is the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), whose leader, Bishop Ayo Oritsajafor, met with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan late Wednesday.

The attacks fit “into the profile of Islamic Jihad over the years on the Christian community,” Oritsajafor said after meeting the president.

“It is considered as a declaration of war on Christians and Nigeria as an entity.”

The radical Islamist group Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which hit churches in Jos, Damaturu and in Madalla, where 32 people died when a bomb exploded outside a Roman Catholic church.

“The Christian community nationwide would be left with no other option than to respond appropriately if there are any further attacks on our members, churches and properties,” Oritsajafor added.

Jonathan, a Christian from southern Nigeria, promised a security shake-up in the wake of the attacks.

“At the security level, we are doing our best,” he told local reporters.

“We will restructure, we will re-adjust and make sure we get a team that will meet with the challenges we are facing today,” he said.

Christians, meanwhile, continued to flee the northern cities of Maiduguri, Damaturu, Potiskum and Kaduna on Thursday, fearing further attacks.

Nigerian television reported that about 90 000 people are believed to have already fled the north-eastern town of Potiskum alone.

And although there is no curfew in place in the northern cities, restaurants, bars and nightclubs were shutting their doors early, with many customers afraid to head out after dark. -Sapa-dpa