U.S. warns of more terrorist attacks in Nigeria, over 100 already dead

The US Embassy in Nigeria has warned that Muslim terrorists intend to attack luxury hotels in the region.

LAGOS, NIGERIA (Catholic Online) - The specific warning identifies the Hilton, Nicon Luxury, and Sheraton hotels as the most likely possible targets of an extremist Islamic sect known as the Boko Haram. US and international officials have been warned to stay away from those locations.

The group's name, Boko Haram means "Western education is sacrilege" in the local language.
The Boko Haram is also responsible for the deaths of more than 100, as they attacked people in a wave of bombings and shootings throughout northeastern Nigeria on Friday. The extremist sect wants to govern itself according to fundamentalist Shariah law and has pledged to conduct more attacks.

On Friday, a car bomb exploded in front of the three-story building that was used as a military office and barracks in the city of Damataru. Following that, gunmen shot their way through the town, bombed a bank, and attacked several police stations and churches often leaving them in ruins. As the gunman continued to give the rampage, scores of people were murdered.

Across the region, multiple roadside bombings and shootings drove the death toll over 100.

In one incident, the group's gunmen stopped a regional police inspector who was driving his family to mosque. After stopping him, they forced him out of the vehicle and made his family drive away. They then shot the inspector to death.

The UN Security Council has already issued a statement referring to the bombings and shootings throughout the region as "criminal and unjustifiable" and has asked member nations to assist Nigerian authorities in bringing the terrorists justice. Boko Haram has publicly claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Pope Benedict XVI also addressed the violence from St. Peter's Square. He appealed for an end to the fighting, and pointed out that such conflict only creates more problems and divides the faithful.

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