Nigeria: Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama accuses West of ignoring Boko Haram threat

Nigerian Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama has accused the West of ignoring the threat of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram.

The Catholic Archbishop of Jos, in central Nigeria, said the world had to show more determination to halt the group’s advance in the country.

Ignatius Kaigama said the international community had to show the same spirit and resolve it had done after the attacks in France.

His warning came after 20 people were killed by three female young suicide bombers, one reportedly aged 10.

The weekend attacks come after reports that hundreds of people were killed last week during the capture by Boko Haram of the town of Baga in Borno state.

The archbishop said the slaughter there had shown that the Nigerian military was unable to tackle Boko Haram.

The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, said he was appalled by reports of the killings in Baga and condemned what he called “the depraved acts of Boko Haram terrorists”.

The Nigerian military has said it is trying to retake the town but has given few details about the operation.

On January 10, it said it had successfully fought off Boko Haram fighters trying to capture another major north-eastern town, Damaturu.

Nigeria’s politicians appear more focused on next month’s elections and President Goodluck Jonathan has not commented on the recent violence.

On January 11, two female suicide attackers killed four people and injured more than 40 people in the town of Potiskum.

A day earlier, another young female suicide bomber, reportedly aged 10, struck in the main city of north-east Nigeria, Maiduguri, killing at least 19 people.