Boko Haram threatens eradication of Christianity in northern Nigeria, followed by attacks

On March 4, 2012, Boko Haram threatened the eradication of Christianity in northern Nigeria, saying "we will create so much effort to end the Christian presence in our push to have a proper Islamic state that the Christians won’t be able to stay."

A spokesman told Bikyamasr.com that over the coming weeks Boko Haram "will launch a number of attacks, coordinated and part of the plan to eradicate Christians from certain parts of the country."

The spokesman also warned of a plot to kidnap Christian women, saying, "we are going to put into action new efforts to strike fear into the Christians of the power of Islam by kidnapping their women" to hold them for ransom.

On March 7, 2012, Boko Haram gunmen shot and killed Adamu Ahmadu, a customs official, after they stormed his home in Potiskum.  They killed others with him, as well.

On March 11, 2012, an explosion at the gate of St. Finbar's church in Jos has killed at least ten people (including the attacker who drove a car loaded with explosives) and wounded several others, just ten minutes after Mass began.  Boko Haram is suspected in the attacks, which regrettably led to retaliatory vandalism and violence, killing another ten people.

His Excellency the Most Reverend Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, Archbishop of Jos, called upon the faithful to "overcome evil with love, overcome evil with good, and then to allow God to take control of the situation, while at the same time asking God’s men to something urgently to bring this to a final conclusion"

On March 15, 2012, Reuters posted an excellent Factbox and summary of Boko Haram.

This year alone, Boko Haram is responsible for at least 300 deaths.

And still Boko Haram is not among the U.S.'s suspected terror groups even though Boko Haram's spokesman calls their activities a "campaign of terror."  Why?

Boko Haram has supporters in government, military and security forces

The President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has warned that the threat posed by Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram may be more serious than initially thought because it has supporters both within the government - in every branch - and within the military.
President Jonathan warned:

Some continue to dip their hands and eat with you and you won’t even know the person who will point a gun at you or plant a bomb behind your house.

Speaking with Agenzie Fides, he warned that the present situation is worse than that of the civil war that lasted from 1967-1970:

 During the Civil War, we knew and could even know on which side the enemy came from... but the challenge we face today is more complicated.

Following an order from Boko Haram for Christians to leave the north of Nigeria, His Excellency the Most Reverend Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, Archbishop of Jos, does told Agenzia Fides he does not think Christians in the north are fleeing at the moment, but he does have fears for the future:

"At the moment I do not think there is a massive movement of Christians from the north, except in areas where several people were killed, in which the frequency of violence was very intense," said Bishop Kaigama. "In these areas the Christians, especially those from the south, as the Ibo people, are deeply anxious and are preparing to return to their home areas".

Archbishop Kaigama is also worried because even the Muslims who live in the south are affected by the climate of violence. "I have just returned from a visit in southern Nigeria. Even there, the Muslims, who are from the north, are deeply concerned and are preparing to return to the north". "It is, in my opinion, a very dangerous development."

Update:

Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, warned President Jonathan that the present state of affairs is "beyond your powers" in a video posted on YouTube.