 Pray for wisdom for Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan Photo: Flickr / GovernmentZA |
On Friday, June 7th, Boko Haram terrorists stormed into a neighbourhood in the Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing at least 11 innocent people (including one child) with weapons that were hidden in a coffin, local residents testify.
Since then, more than 60 alleged Boko Haram terrorists have been killed in the same city by local militiamen who are trying to rid the area of this violent Islamic group that has allegedly killed thousands of people, many of them Christians, since their vicious campaign began in 2009. (For more about the situation, click here.) A military spokesperson explained that the troops responded the following Saturday morning, raiding insurgent "hideouts" in the targeted neighbourhoods.
A former director of the Ministry of Information, who asked for anonymity, told Nigeria's "Daily Post" that 300 youths had been selected as informants. Another media report further explained that "...the youth vigilante groups, who now act as whistle blowers and informants to the security operatives, go from street to street and house to house with machetes, iron bars and wooden batons in their bid to smoke out the remnants of the insurgents from their hiding places and, thereafter, handing them over to the military Joint Task Force in Borno, Operation Restore Order." Justifying their actions, the youths, whose ages range from 15 to 30 years, said they were left with no choice than to join the manhunt of the insurgents for bringing untold hardship to residents of the town, thus putting their own future in jeopardy.
Pray that God's peace and love will fill the hearts of all Nigeria's citizens so they will live in harmony with one another. While justice does need to prevail...halting the destructive actions of terrorists who have caused the painful loss of many innocent lives, may it be done with great wisdom and in a manner that is pleasing to Him. According to His Word, true change takes place in the heart through the conviction of the Holy Spirit. May this indeed be the case for all who are caught up in the crossfire between the forces of good and evil.
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