Islamist group threatens to kidnap Christian women in Nigeria

From Bikya Masr:

A Nigeria spokesman for the Islamist militant group Boko Haram told Bikyamasr.com on Tuesday afternoon that the group has plans to begin kidnapping Christian women in a push to “liquidate” the religious group from the country.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the spokesman said that “we are going to put into action new efforts to strike fear into the Christians of the power of Islam by kidnapping their women.”

He added that they would not sexually assault or harm the women, “but we will demand as ransom that the families leave our Islamic areas.”

The spokesman did not elaborate on when or how this new “campaign of terror” would take place, but it is striking fears in many Christians in the country.

“Kidnapping is very serious and dangerous. After all the bombings and violence, I don’t know what we would do,” Markos, a Christian living in Lagos, told Bikyamasr.com.

According to the same spokesman, speaking via telephone from northern Nigeria on Sunday, the group “will launch a number of attacks, coordinated and part of the plan to eradicate Christians from certain parts of the country.”

Boko Haram have taken responsibility for a number of bomb attacks on Christian churches across the country since a Christmas Day bombing left dozens of people killed.