Four Day Bloodbath In Nigeria, by Ruth Kramer, Mission Network News
"Yesterday marked the third vicious attack in four days by Nigeria's Boko Haram. Sunday was a suicide bombing; Tuesday: twin car bombs; Wednesday: a three-village massacre. Their tactic supports a growing concern that they have outside help. Jerry Dykstra with Open Doors says, "They're being empowered by other terrorist groups like al-Qaeda:
"Boko Haram, the insurgent terrorist group bearing down on Nigeria, has attacked again. This time, officials say, the militant Islamist group hit three villages Wednesday, not far from where they took hundreds of schoolgirl’s hostage. It’s not even 24 hours after a twin bombing in Jos, which killed 118 Tuesday. On Sunday, a suicide bombing rattled nerves in Sabon Gari, Kano State.
"The tactics point to a new terror technique by the insurgent group: the use of random attacks and explosives in a deadly sequence. It means they’re no longer a small insurgency. The United Nations has linked them to another menace.
"Jerry Dykstra, a spokesman for Open Doors USA, echoes those concerns. “They’re being empowered by other terrorist groups like al-Qaeda. [sic] It’s disturbing, and we as Christians need to pay attention because [Nigeria is] the most populace Christian country in all of Africa.”
"While President Goodluck Jonathan announced increased measures to tackle the militants–including a multi-national force around Lake Chad which comprises a battalion each from Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Nigeria, authorities are just trying to cope with the chaos created by Boko Haram. Dykstra notes, “They want to send a message that they can strike any place in Nigeria at will. They seem to be undeterred.'”
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