Ndi-Igbo Peace Movement (NPM) has said that the Boko Haram that is operating pre-dominantly in the Northern part of the country has declared religious war against Christians in Nigeria .
This was contained in a statement issued by the group to newsmen in Onitsha , Anambra.
The statement was signed by Chief Uzor A. Uzor, President of the group on Saturday.
“From our records, over 4,000 people had been killed directly or indirectly due to the escalated Boko Haram insurgency in some parts of the Northern region.
“2,000 of the people so far killed are from the South-East; while the South-West have about 1,000 and the North have 1,000 people killed respectively.
“From the statistics, it shows that the Southern part of the country had had a good number of causalities then the North .
“And its an indicator that the Boko Haram insurgency is meant to target only the Southerners especially Christians residing in the North,’’ it said.
The statement said that the recent burial of 14 people from Adazi Nnukwu community in Aniocha LGA, Anambra State and also 7 people in Umuna community, 2 in Amaifeke and 1 in Okporo all in Orlu LGA of Imo State was still fresh in ones mind.
“We are calling on all Christians to defend themselves through any means possible.
“And we are calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to declare Boko Haram a terrorist group and make it officially known that we are in a state of religious war so that Christians would be armed to defend themselves.
“Christian communities and churches in the Northern part of the country should be provided with adequate security,’’ it said.
NPM further warned that the Boko Haram should desist from killing innocent Nigerians unless they want to lead the nation into an escalated and uncontrollable religious war.
“Nobody whether now or in history has monopoly of violence,’’ it warned.
