Contact: Laolu Akande, Executive Director, CANAN, 516-819-4355, Laolu@cananusa.org

NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- Yesterday at the 62nd National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton, President Barack Obama restated the resolve of the US government to support the Nigerian people in the ongoing effort to end terrorism.

"I've pledged our support to the people of Nigeria, who deserve to worship in their churches and mosques in peace, free from terror," Obama said while advocating religious freedom around the world.

President Obama spoke a few months after the State Department designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, FTO. There have also been news reports that the US military will be training their Nigerian counterparts in the effort to properly combat terror groups in the country and in the West African region.

Terrorist groups like Boko Haram have continued in their brazen and despicable attacks aimed primarily against Nigerian Christians, but also against Moslems who oppose them, and government institutions and security outfits that seek to curb their violence.

Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans, CANAN, welcomes the continued focus of the US government and the support of President Obama in this matter.

It is our hope and expectation that with the active support of the US government, including through the implementation of the FTO designation of the terror groups, Nigerian Christians and others would heave a huge sigh of relief from the brutal and ruthless violence that is being perpetrated by extreme Jihadist fundamentalists and terrorists.  

We call for greater and increasing support from the US government especially in the area of going after terror king pins within the context of the FTO, and also supporting the ongoing operations of the Nigerian military to end the carnage in northeastern Nigeria.

Obama expressed concern that while faith sustains, "it's also clear that around the world freedom of religion is under threat."

The National Prayer Breakfast which is held in the US Capital yearly every first Thursday in February has been attended by every president since Dwight Eisenhower. First Lady Michelle Obama, the Vice President Joe Biden and members of both the Cabinet and the Congress, joined President Obama.

Laolu Akande
CANAN Executive Director
Laolu@cananusa.org