died for their faith since 2009.
Violence perpetrated by various terrorist groups has been continuing unabated in Nigeria, particularly against Christians. Even with increased security measures in place, Islamic militants continue to conduct deadly raids on Christian communities. A report released in April indicated that over 50,000 followers of Jesus have died and over 18,000 churches were set ablaze since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009. Those numbers continue to rise, particularly with the increasing attacks by Islamic Fulani groups. For more details on the violence against Christians in Nigeria, go to our country report.
On August 23rd, Pastor Jeremiah Mayau from the Tawaliu Baptist Church was shot and killed by unknown assailants while he was working in his agricultural field. At the time of publishing this report, details surrounding the attackers' identities and motives remain unknown. Rev. Joseph John Hayab, who serves as the chair for the Kaduna chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, refers to the attack as "barbaric." In his statement addressing the incident, Rev. Joseph called on security agencies to exercise greater vigilance to halt this type of activity in the state.
May God provide greatly needed comfort to the loved ones, friends and church family of Pastor Jeremiah during this time of mourning. Pray that the members of the Tawaliu Baptist Church will remain steadfast in their faith, receiving strength, vigour and encouragement from the Lord as they faithfully reach out to the members of their community with the message of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Additionally, pray that Nigerian authorities would not only bring those responsible for this attack to justice, but that there would also be increased vigilance among the country's security forces in providing protection to our vulnerable Christian brothers and sisters.
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