State Secretary Tristan Azbej has called for “an active stance” by the international community to fight the persecution of Christians, in connection with reports that terrorists attacked a Catholic parish in Nigeria and murdered the local priest there on Saturday night.
The brutal murder happened at Kafin-Koro town. According to reports, the Reverend Isaac Achi was burned alive, while his assistant was rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds. Azbej said condolences were not enough, and the international community should take proactive steps. He said politicians in the West “must stop their denial”, adding that “a dozen Christians a day are not murdered because of climate change or local clashes, but because of their religion.” Referring to the Hungary Helps programme through which the government provides assistance to Christians in Africa subject to terrorist attacks, the state secretary noted that in recent years the government has supported internal refugees in cooperation with the Catholic and Protestant churches of Nigeria, providing health care services to the victims of terrorist attacks, contributions to the reconstruction of ruined churches, schools, and homes, as well as scholarships to Christian youth. Azbej also expressed his sympathy with the families of victims that died in a blast that shook a church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during a service on Sunday. At least six people died and 15 were injured in the blast that happened in Kasindi town, in the east of the country.