Insecurity unites Christians, Muslims in Kolofata

In recent weeks, Mosques and Churches are mainly targeted by suicide bombers in the Far North region.

Thus, an increase in suicide bombings which have resulted to no less than 19 dead, people has revised their common defense strategy.

According to the Bi-weekly l'Oeil du Sahel, of Thursday, February 4, 2016, Christians are in their custody during the hours of Muslim prayer and vice versa.

They are typically armed with arrows, machetes, or catapults. Other members of the vigilante committee patrol with bikes around the city, indicates the newspaper. "Today, we all have one enemy: Boko Haram.

For now, we found that collaboration and mutual assistance between our two religions were essential for this response," says Goni Matapa, a member of the vigilante committee of the locality of Kolofata-Guidi.

This new tactic of collaboration between Christians and Muslims has significantly reduced the visit of places of worship by the candidates of suicide.

"Since we experience this response to terrorism, we have not recorded attacks in mosques or churches," he informs.

Also, the sharing of power between the different communities has allowed the return of the faithful in large numbers in places of worship, that there is still some time, all were nearly deserted.

The growing insecurity has helped strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and solidarity between Christians and Muslims, says l’Oeil du Sahel.