World News
Lagos archbishop criticizes Nigeria's handling of security
Published: August 17, 2012
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNS) -- Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins of Lagos criticized the Nigerian government for its handling of the nation's security challenges and warned against allowing an extremist sect to destabilize the country. The archbishop cautioned Christians against participating in violence but expressed his support for the call by the Christian Association of Nigeria that Christians should defend themselves whenever they come under any attack. "The human life is sacred and must be regarded as such by anybody," he told journalists during an Aug. 16 briefing at the Church of the Assumption. The Islamist militant group Boko Haram has taken credit for a series of attacks on places of worship in northern and central Nigeria; in some cases, Christians have retaliated. Since 2010, Boko Haram has been blamed for more than 1,400 deaths. Archbishop Martins told journalists the government must deal quickly and decisively with any acts of aggression against Nigerians. He also said he supported dialogue, if necessary, between warring parties. "War has never brought about lasting peace in the history of humanity," he said. The archbishop, who served as bishop of Abeokuta until being installed to head the Lagos Archdiocese Aug. 4, also criticized the government for "not doing enough to deal with corruption. It needs to do much more than it is doing so far.
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