Anglican leader Welby warns of ‘irrational’ Boko Haram

LONDON — Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby warned Sunday of the difficulties of negotiating with an “utterly merciless” group like Boko Haram, but called for active contact with the Nigerian Islamists over their abduction of scores of schoolgirls.

Welby has experience of negotiating with violent groups in the Niger Delta in southern Nigeria, and with a predecessor to Boko Haram around Maiduguri, the capital of northeastern Borno state where the group started out.

In an interview with BBC radio about the fate of more than 200 schoolgirls seized by the Islamist group last month, the archbishop said the girls faced a “colossal” risk.

“They’re in the hands of a very disparate group which is extremely irrational and difficult to deal with, and utterly merciless in the example it’s shown in the past and it must be a huge concern,” he said.

Asked if it is possible to talk to groups like Boko Haram, he said: “They’re in many layers. You have a very, very difficult inner core. And I think negotiation there is extremely complicated, though it needs to be tried.

“Then it goes out and out in different layers of commitment and understanding and involvement.

“There needs to be active negotiation, active contact with all the different layers.”

He said Boko Haram has “always been a mixture of groups united as much by a common enemy as by a common cause”.

Supporters turn to them because of immense poverty, high youth unemployment and the group’s promises of social change delivered through the barrel of a gun, he said.

The kidnap of 276 schoolgirls on April 14 by Boko Haram in the northeastern Nigerian town of Chibok has sparked a wave of international outrage.

US, British and French experts are working on the ground in Nigeria to help trace the schoolgirls. China has also offered to share “any useful information acquired by its satellites and intelligence services” with Nigeria.

Pope Francis is among the latest high-profile figures to weigh in on the search. He tweeted: “Let us all join in prayer for the immediate release of the schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria #BringBackOurGirls.”

History of conflict 

Welby, a former oil executive who joined the church in his 30s, was careful not to criticise too strongly the response of the Nigerian government security forces.

The leader of the world’s Anglicans noted their loss of control over large parts of northeastern Nigeria, despite a huge commitment of force.

“There needs to be effective police and security action across that area, and that is a huge challenge for the Nigerian government and one that we should not underestimate,” he said.

He added: “We’re talking about a massive area and a longstanding history of ethnic difference, of conflict with other Muslim groups.”

Asked about allegations of human rights abuses by the military, he said he had no firsthand evidence but viewed the reports “with great concern”.

He also said that it was “always a worry” that more Christians in Nigeria might take up arms to defend themselves against the group.

“They have a right to defend their lives, and the lives of their children and their families,” he said.

“But at the heart of Christian teaching is the example of Jesus who said forgive your enemies and forgave his own enemies on the cross.”

Boko Haram militants were blamed for another attack on Friday night that completely destroyed the north-eastern village of Liman Kara.

Villager Usman Alaramma said residents managed to flee before the attack after being warned that a convoy of gunmen in military uniform were approaching by people from nearby villages.

“We immediately realised we were going to be attacked by Boko Haram and the whole town evacuated,” he said.

“They almost burnt the whole town. When we returned yesterday... we counted 301 burnt homes... All shops on the major streets in the town were looted and burnt.”