Genocide in Nigeria 'happening before our eyes,' congressman says at hearing
Sunday, December 20, 2020 9:28 AM

WASHINGTON — The Catholic bishop of Gboko, Nigeria, and the Knights of Columbus added their voices to a Dec. 17 congressional hearing spotlighting sectarian violence in Nigeria in which thousands of Christians have been killed simply for their faith identity.

The hearing of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission was spurred by recent developments: the fatal shooting of 51 peaceful protesters in Lagos Oct. 20; the kidnapping of over 300 schoolboys in Kankara, which government officials there said was instigated by bandits masquerading as the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram; and the Dec. 7 State Department designation of Nigeria as "a country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

The boys were rescued Dec. 18, and while the hearing included discussion of a congressional resolution of condemnation plus the imposition of sanctions, it didn't get into the specifics of either response. Sanctions would become a decision of the incoming Biden administration.

"This is a genocide that's happening right before our eyes," said Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, the commission's co-chair.

"It is depressing that our Middle Belt region has truly become a vale of tears, a region where mass burials are very common," said Bishop William A. Avenya of Goboko. "Since the consistent attacks began some five years ago, there has hardly been a single day without killing in one part of the region or the other.

"In fact, one cannot give the accurate figures of those who have been killed since the beginning of these atrocities," he said.

"Interestingly," Bishop Avenya continued, "no one has ever been arrested or questioned or prosecuted or convicted of any charge related to this spree of killings. Yet, these killers are not invisible, neither are they unknown. Instead, these atrocities are made to look as though they were ethnic or communal clashes."

"Nigeria's Christians have suffered grievously at the hands of Boko Haram and other groups," said Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, in a statement. "The Christians of Nigeria, both Catholic and Protestant, deserve attention, recognition and relief now."

The death toll from the conflict in Nigeria's Middle Belt region caused by the pastoralists, or cattle herders, who are mainly Muslim and ethnic Fulani, against farmers, who are predominantly Christian, relies on analyses from humanitarian groups, since it is never verified by the government.

An estimated 2,000 are believed to have been killed annually between 2011 and 2016 as the conflicts over land and a dwindling water supply, exacerbated by climate change, continue.

Religious organizations have urged the American government to pressure the Nigerian state to provide protection.

Earlier this year, the International Committee on Nigeria calculated, based on what they said were primary sources on the ground, that since 2015, Fulani militant attacks are "exponentially increasing," killing more than 9,700 in the past five years.

Adding to the urgency, the latest statistical risk assessment of the Holocaust Memorial Museum's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide calculated that Nigeria faces a 7.3% risk of experiencing a new mass killing by the end of 2021, the 6th highest in the world. In 2019, Nigeria was ranked 17th with a 5% risk.

Genocide has become virtually a daily threat, said Annigje J. Buwalda, executive director of Jubilee Campaign USA. "We would additionally ask that more consideration be proffered to ... the rising frequency of deadly midnight attacks on predominantly Christian farming communities in Nigeria, which are carried out by groups of heavily-armed radical Islamist Fulani militants," she said.

In November, Democratic Reps. Al Green and Joaquin Castro, both from Texas, introduced a House resolution supporting the peaceful protest movement in Nigeria.

"The resolution is not enough, but it is something we can do," Green told the hearing. He said it meant "that Black lives matter, no matter where they may be."

Robert Destro, an assistant secretary of state, said he hoped for an "early warning network" to detect atrocities before they occur.

But he said one principal difficulty is Nigerian officials have told him it's "impossible" that religion is a factor in the killings. "They need active ground-level intelligence to be able to protect themselves."

Destro said of President Muhammadu Buhari's government, "They're going to have to want to change."


https://catholicsentinel.org/Content/News/Nation-and-World/Article/Genocide-in-Nigeria-happening-before-our-eyes-congressman-says-at-hearing-/2/34/41442

Buhari is a Terrorist

Does it mean that our are not being valued by the world leaders for them watching our destruction (genocide) for all these years?

Where are those APC imbéciles ? Let them come and defend their god and savior

Nothing go still happen

kenzysmith:
Nothing go still happen

Why do you not hope for a good outcome? You cant free yourself and people are working from outside to free you but you condemn it.

When you lack ideas, you use powers to subdue people...

AsiwajuNdigbo:
Genocide in Nigeria 'happening before our eyes,' congressman says at hearing
Sunday, December 20, 2020 9:28 AM

WASHINGTON — The Catholic bishop of Gboko, Nigeria, and the Knights of Columbus added their voices to a Dec. 17 congressional hearing spotlighting sectarian violence in Nigeria in which thousands of Christians have been killed simply for their faith identity.

The hearing of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission was spurred by recent developments: the fatal shooting of 51 peaceful protesters in Lagos Oct. 20; the kidnapping of over 300 schoolboys in Kankara, which government officials there said was instigated by bandits masquerading as the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram; and the Dec. 7 State Department designation of Nigeria as "a country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

The boys were rescued Dec. 18, and while the hearing included discussion of a congressional resolution of condemnation plus the imposition of sanctions, it didn't get into the specifics of either response. Sanctions would become a decision of the incoming Biden administration.

"This is a genocide that's happening right before our eyes," said Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, the commission's co-chair.

"It is depressing that our Middle Belt region has truly become a vale of tears, a region where mass burials are very common," said Bishop William A. Avenya of Goboko. "Since the consistent attacks began some five years ago, there has hardly been a single day without killing in one part of the region or the other.

"In fact, one cannot give the accurate figures of those who have been killed since the beginning of these atrocities," he said.

"Interestingly," Bishop Avenya continued, "no one has ever been arrested or questioned or prosecuted or convicted of any charge related to this spree of killings. Yet, these killers are not invisible, neither are they unknown. Instead, these atrocities are made to look as though they were ethnic or communal clashes."

"Nigeria's Christians have suffered grievously at the hands of Boko Haram and other groups," said Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, in a statement. "The Christians of Nigeria, both Catholic and Protestant, deserve attention, recognition and relief now."

The death toll from the conflict in Nigeria's Middle Belt region caused by the pastoralists, or cattle herders, who are mainly Muslim and ethnic Fulani, against farmers, who are predominantly Christian, relies on analyses from humanitarian groups, since it is never verified by the government.

An estimated 2,000 are believed to have been killed annually between 2011 and 2016 as the conflicts over land and a dwindling water supply, exacerbated by climate change, continue.

Religious organizations have urged the American government to pressure the Nigerian state to provide protection.

Earlier this year, the International Committee on Nigeria calculated, based on what they said were primary sources on the ground, that since 2015, Fulani militant attacks are "exponentially increasing," killing more than 9,700 in the past five years.

Adding to the urgency, the latest statistical risk assessment of the Holocaust Memorial Museum's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide calculated that Nigeria faces a 7.3% risk of experiencing a new mass killing by the end of 2021, the 6th highest in the world. In 2019, Nigeria was ranked 17th with a 5% risk.

Genocide has become virtually a daily threat, said Annigje J. Buwalda, executive director of Jubilee Campaign USA. "We would additionally ask that more consideration be proffered to ... the rising frequency of deadly midnight attacks on predominantly Christian farming communities in Nigeria, which are carried out by groups of heavily-armed radical Islamist Fulani militants," she said.

In November, Democratic Reps. Al Green and Joaquin Castro, both from Texas, introduced a House resolution supporting the peaceful protest movement in Nigeria.

"The resolution is not enough, but it is something we can do," Green told the hearing. He said it meant "that Black lives matter, no matter where they may be."

Robert Destro, an assistant secretary of state, said he hoped for an "early warning network" to detect atrocities before they occur.

But he said one principal difficulty is Nigerian officials have told him it's "impossible" that religion is a factor in the killings. "They need active ground-level intelligence to be able to protect themselves."

Destro said of President Muhammadu Buhari's government, "They're going to have to want to change."


https://catholicsentinel.org/Content/News/Nation-and-World/Article/Genocide-in-Nigeria-happening-before-our-eyes-congressman-says-at-hearing-/2/34/41442

Nooo wonder. This is why the are kidnappings people from president village (kastina) and also self kidnapping people from Muslim schools to make it look like the Muslim are also affected. The want to proof to the world that the attack is not limited to Christians alon

Yawnz Yawnz Yawnz.

The most boring and redundant post of the day.

Started hearing ko, started announcing ni..

God Bless Nigeria.

Do they want us all dead before a solution or fightback is met.

The level of dumbness, nepotism, fanaticism, bitterness and arrogance in Buhari alone is too much for 2m persons.

When will our own congress open an enquiry over the recent election fiasco in the United States?

Half of the world's religious, political, sectarian and economic problems are caused by the U.S.A....

Self-righteous idiots

nabiz:
Nooo wonder. This is why the are kidnappings people from president village (kastina) and also self kidnapping people from Muslim schools to make it look like the Muslim are also affected. The want to proof to the world that the attack is not limited to Christians alon

This guy's response makes sense well and should be reposted.

There is no smoke without fire. In fact your response connects the dots now.

They are trying to launder miyetti aalla's bloody fingerprints with this rescue and make them look responsible and caring.

Okoroawusa:
Half of the world's religious, political, sectarian and economic problems are caused by the U.S.A....

Self-righteous idiots

They are not the cause of problems in nigeria. Focus at home. Your bandit president is the reason nigeria is like this currently.

He looked for this job for over a decade. Then he got it and cant perform. Those who denied him victory in all those attempts are vindicated. They are heroes.

Noted

AdaugoChisom:
When you lack ideas, you use powers to subdue people...

Very true!

Reserved for later.

AsiwajuNdigbo:


Why do you not hope for a good outcome? You cant free yourself and people are working from outside to free you but you condemn it.

am not condemning anything that the reality bro even if they find any foul play in which I know they will find we they dethroned buhari? we they declare Tunubu wanted? which action we take to give the people who lost their lives justice me I also want them to take action buh our politicians are no gentle men

genocide without dead bodies, nobody will take u serious

Watch APC zombies defend their personal Lord and Savior

nigeria is a demonic nation.

hollah123:
genocide without dead bodies, nobody will take u serious

Go and do your sai baba chant.

Let people see front.

hollah123:
genocide without dead bodies, nobody will take u serious

Just like lekki massacre without dead bodies.

First of all let me commend the mod that ban me for one week
I judiciously used it for market survey and gain a lot of customers



Back to the topic
I laugh at those who think kanu don’t know what he is doing
He has set a pace ,for Nigeria disintegration internationally
Britain will still drill oil when biafra comes hence they don’t care if Nigeria disintegrate
US :they now see Nigeria government as human right abuser,hence they will be neutralwjenbtue cast is down
Kanu has notify ICC that any attack of ESN will be reiterated hence their quick human right probe

Let me laugh
Even the deported udele can’t do anything