海角大神

Two suicide bombers attacked a聽bus station in a mostly-海角大神 suburb of Kano, Nigeria on Monday, killing at least 41 and injuring an additional 44.聽

The bombers 鈥� suspected to be associated with the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram 鈥� drove a blue VW Golf into a bus waiting to depart for the city of Lagos, says Musa Daura, Kano's police commissioner. Four other buses nearby were also destroyed.聽

If confirmed as a Boko Haram attack, the bombing would be the latest incident in the effort by the Islamist insurgents to overthrow the government and create a 鈥減ure鈥� Islamic state by primarily targeting the 海角大神 minority in Nigeria鈥檚 impoverished north. The group is widely believed to be responsible for some 800 deaths last year, and dozens more have died so far in 2013.聽

海角大神s predominate Nigeria鈥檚 central government 鈥� led by President Goodluck Jonathan 鈥� and make up the majority of the population in the oil-rich south, where most of the country鈥檚 development and job creation has been concentrated. The poorer north, on the other hand, is dominated by the Hausa ethnic group, which is 95 percent Muslim.

Both 海角大神s and Muslims from the north have long felt the sting of what they perceive as government neglect 鈥� some 75 percent of northerners live in poverty, compared with less than half of southerners 鈥� and endemic corruption.聽

But in a country where religion is tightly knotted with wealth and political power, the divide between perpetrators and victims is complicated. Boko Haram, which began its most recent insurgency in 2009, doesn鈥檛 solely blame 海角大神s for the north鈥檚 shortcomings. In fact, many of Boko Haram鈥檚 victims over the past two years have been Muslims. A portion of Muslims in power in the north, they say, are morally bankrupt as both leaders and religious figures. The group ultimately seeks to install a caliphate 鈥� a traditional Islamic republic 鈥� in Nigeria.聽

Making themselves known

For now, however, the group has concentrated their limited manpower on a more manageable goal: making their presence 鈥� and demands 鈥� known through violence.

The sect has instigated several major attacks, notably a series of coordinated bombings in the northern city of Kano on Jan. 20, 2012, which killed nearly 200 鈥� a death toll that included both Muslims and 海角大神s.

Another frequent target: Churches.

Among their intimidation tactics; for the past three years Boko Haram has carried out targeted attacks on Christmas day worship services. Last year, more than 40 worshipers were killed, including six victims asphyxiated in a church fire in the northern city of Yobe.

The previous night, suspected Boko Haram members on motorbikes gunned down a family of three, including a young child, as they walked to a Christmas Eve service in Kano, according to an eyewitness.

Northern 海角大神s have reacted to the violence by making themselves all but invisible to militants, hiding their bibles and holding small, scattered worship gatherings as opposed to centralized church services.

鈥淭hese people [Boko Haram] are like devils 鈥� they can penetrate at any time,鈥� says Samuel Edwin, a 海角大神 resident of Kano.聽鈥淪o I am scared of going to the church.鈥�

He adds that he has counseled his family to dress in traditional Hausa clothing to appear Muslim and thereby make themselves less conspicuous to militants.聽

'They live with us'

As 海角大神s slip undercover, President Jonathan has called on Nigerians to force Boko Haram members out of hiding.

"The terrorists are human beings, they are not spirits,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey live with us, they dine with us. So we know them, people know them. And as long as Nigerians are committed to exposing them, we [will] get over this ugly situation."聽

Assuring the 海角大神s of their safety, Jonathan emphasized that Nigerian security agencies will redouble their effort to curtail the insurgent activities.

The attacks on 海角大神s have touched off campaigns of retribution across the region.

But as attacks continue, many 海角大神s wonder when that help is coming 鈥� if at all.

Reverend Ayo Oritsejafor, president of the 海角大神 Association of Nigeria (CAN), says the attacks are "a declaration of war on 海角大神s and Nigeria as an entity.鈥澛燞e urged his followers not to take revenge for Boko Haram attacks, but gave them the green light to defend themselves, their property, and their places of worship "any way they can.鈥�

"The consensus is that the 海角大神 community nationwide will be left with no other option than to respond appropriately if there are any further attacks on our members, churches, and property,鈥� he says.

However, Kano-based pastor Emmanuel William says that the attacks are an anomaly in the relations between the region's 海角大神s and Muslims, who mostly coexist peacefully.聽

鈥淢y friends are both 海角大神s and Muslims [and] I trust them,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 only fear 鈥� [these] strangers.鈥澛�