Following the declaration of GWOZA town in the troubled northeastern state of Borno as an Islamic Caliphate and the recent takeover of Madagali by the Boko Haram insurgents, the extremists have reportedly beheaded every Christian man available in the areas, while their wives have been forced into Islam and given out in marriage to the sect members.
The Director, Social Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri, gave this revelation on Thursday, in an electronic statement to Journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
According to the statements, the Islamist terrorist group, Boko Haram has advanced greatly in their rampage and killings, to the extent of declaring a Caliphate in Gwoza LGA of Borno State, a town bordering Borno and Adamawa states.
“As it is well known, the catholic diocese of Maiduguri covers the whole of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa States, the three states under strict emergency rule. Apart from the churches within Maiduguri that have great share of such attacks by the terrorists group, all the churches on the major road linking maiduguri and Adamawa state have been shut down due to activities of the insurgents.” The statement reads.
It further stated that, “St Timothy’s Bama has been under siege since last year. The Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Timothy Cosmas had long been relocated to a different Parish. At the early part of this year, St. Peter’s Pulka was badly attacked. Thanks to God that, Fr. James John was luckily unavailable. The terrorists searched and wanted to kill the holy Priest of God.
“Lately, precisely on Friday, Augustn 22, 2014, the dreaded group had moved steadily and yet more boldly into Gwoza which is in Borno state and the neighboring Madagali LGA in Adamawa State, declaring a caliphate.
“The assisting Priest of St. Denis Madagali, Fr. Aiden Ibrahim fled the Parish with some of his parishioners to the mountains, upon hearing serious fire battle from the terrorists.
“Since the curfew declared was dusk to dawn, they had to travel on foot through the mountains until they got to Michika, a neighboring LGA where movement was free. Since then, Madagali and Gwoza have been under siege and strictly controlled by the Boko Haram sects.”
Giving the current situation in Madagali, the statement stated: “Madagali is a local government that borders Borno and Adamawa states, the closest town to Gwoza . It has a large number of Catholics, and members of other Christian denominations, and a good number of Muslims.
“It is quite clear that terrorism has no friend, but it is abundantly clear that the Christians are worst hit. It might surprise you to know that no one knows the state of affairs in this terrorist zone.
“Reports reaching the Director Social Communications, Rev. Fr. Gideon Obasogie in Maiduguri has it that the Whole town and the Parish rectory have been occupied by the terrorists, so many structures and items have been vandalized.
“Dozens have been killed and a lot of church structures have been burnt down. Christians in the town are really in a terrible situation; a moment of great persecution.
“Christian men were caught and beheaded, the women were forced to become Muslims and were taken as wives to the terrorists.
“The houses of Christians that have fled are now occupied by the Haramists .
“Their cars are used by the terrorists. Some Boko Haram sympathizers around the town showed the terrorists Christian homes, and Christians hiding were also identified and killed.
“Strict Sharia Law has been promulgated, as observed by a woman who luckily escaped from the dead zone.
“The situation as it is now has really and truly gone out of control. People are finding it really hard, citizens are being killed in their numbers.
“We hope Nigeria would be real in handling the dwindling state of insecurity that has enveloped the entire North east.”
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