Tags

Nigeria

  • Christians killed in targeted attacks

    At least 24 Christians have been killed in targeted attacks around Jos, Plateau state, since January 27, as sectarian rioting continues. At least six people were killed in a raid on Dorowa village in the Barkin Ladi area, and 18 others died in neighbouring Christian villages. More than 30 homes in Dorowa were burnt down. Six villages in total in Barkin Ladi were attacked.

    Meanwhile, sectarian violence continues in parts of central Nigeria. In Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi state, 35 people died in clashes on January 27, police reportedly told news agency Agence France-Presse. Arson attacks in the town destroyed five mosques and 50 houses. An unexploded bomb was found and defused in a Methodist church in Bauchi city on January 31. Last weekend, churches, mosques and homes throughout Jos were set ablaze during rioting.

    Christian leaders in the region continue to call on officials to ensure that the Joint Task Force charged with peacekeeping in the region becomes more proactive in protecting vulnerable Christian communities. Christians in the city of Maiduguri in Borno state are also fearful after Islamist sect Boko Haram murdered the governorship candidate, Modu Fannami Gubio, and five others on January 28.

    Pray those who suffer tremendous physical pain and trials will be strengthened and delivered by the Lord (2 Corinthians 1:8-11). Ask the Lord to equip those in authority to protect Christians from further attacks. Pray He will heal and minister to those who are hurt and grieving. Pray against the enemy's plans for any further violence.

    Learn more about the persecution of believers in Nigeria at theEthiopia Country Report.
  • Deadly bomb attacks over Christmas weekend


    Militants set a Borno state church
    on fire on Christmas Eve.

    At least 38 people were killed in deadly bomb attacks in northern and central Nigeria over Christmas weekend. On December 24, four explosions went off in two Christian neighbourhoods in the city of Jos, Plateau State. More than 28 people were seriously injured in the blasts. Christians were also attacked in Borno state on Christmas Eve when heavily armed militants set a church on fire. The church's pastor and four elders were burnt to death. The Islamists also shot and killed three church members outside the building. Islamists had reportedly been threatening to disrupt the Christian celebrations in Jos. On December 28, members of the Boko Haram Islamist group posted a statement on their website, claiming responsibility for the attacks. Both regions of Nigeria have seen deadly violence between Muslims and Christians in recent years (click here for more).

    Ask God to comfort those affected by these attacks. Pray God's peace will reign throughout Nigeria. Pray Christians will respond with Christ-like love, not retaliation to these attacks. Pray Nigerian Christians will draw near to God and rely on Him to equip them to stand for Him, even in a climate of violence.

    For more on the sufferings of Christians in Nigeria, go to theNigeria Country Report.
  • More deadly attacks on Christians

    Muslims attacked the predominately Christian village of Mazzah, near the city of Jos, on July 17, killing eight people and burning seven houses and a church building. At approximately 1:30 a.m., Muslims entered the village and began shooting sporadically in the air to lure sleeping residents outside their homes. They then attacked people with machetes, including children. Seven were killed instantly, while another died on the way to the hospital. Three others were seriously injured.

    During the attack, Reverend Nuhu Dawat of the Church of Christ in Nigeria escaped with one of his children, but his wife and two other children were killed. His grandson, Nanfa, was shot in the foot, thrown in a bathroom and left to die. Fortunately, he was found by the police and taken to hospital, where he is recuperating well.

    Villagers claim that although the security forces were called and arrived in time to quell the violence, they waited until the attack had ended before entering Mazah. The area is currently reported to be "quiet but tense." Some residents have fled the area in fear of further violence.

    The attack followed recent clashes in eastern Nigeria in which eight people were also killed and several buildings torched (click here for more). Some observers say the violent attacks are the result of religion being exploited in the struggle for local power. There is also fear that such conflict could increase in the run up to elections expected early next year. (Source: AFP, Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

    Please pray that those who have lost loved ones will know God's comfort. Pray for Nigerian authorities as they seek to restore law and order in the region. Pray that those responsible will be brought to justice. Ask God to enable Nigerian Christians to respond to their persecutors in a Christ-like manner, with forgiveness and without retaliation.

    For more information on persecution in Nigeria, please visit theNigeria Country Report.
  • Eight Christians killed by Muslims

    Muslims recently attacked Christian villages and killed at least eight Christians in Kaduna and Plateau states of northern Nigeria. On July 3, five believers, including a primary school teacher and mother of six children, were killed by Muslims in Kizachi village in Kaduna State. The Muslims also burned down five homes belonging to Christians. Local sources reported that the police had stopped protecting the village on July 2 after the government failed to pay their salaries.

    The next evening, Muslims armed with guns and machetes invaded Ganawuri community, near Jos. Three Christians are presumed to be dead. A spokesperson of the Nigerian military's Special Task Force (STF) said the attackers were suspected herdsmen from neighbouring communities of Kaduna State. STF received an emergency call and, upon response, a fire fight ensued with the attackers. One of the attackers was shot and six were arrested. Those arrested have since been handed over to the state police for further investigations.

    This latest violence came on the heels of a March 7 attack against Christians in Jos in which approximately 500 people, mainly women and children, were murdered (click here for more information). It is estimated that many more thousands of Christians have been killed in northern Nigeria since the introduction of Shariah law in 2001. (Source: International Christian Concern)

    Please pray against further violence and unrest in Nigeria. Ask the Lord to give strength and wisdom to those in authority to help them deal with this situation. Pray that He will comfort those who are suffering. Pray that the Lord will use the testimony of believers in Nigeria to strengthen His church and greatly add to its number.

    For more information on persecution in Nigeria, please visit theNigeria Country Report.
  • Church property attacked by Muslims in Kano state

    Kano State, NigeriaMuslim youths launched an attack on the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) premises in Kano state in northern Nigeria on May 19, destroying two church buildings and a pastor's residence. The attack reportedly grew out of a land dispute. "The problem started when some Christian youths of ECWA church were converted to Islam," said the Rev. Lado Abdul, chairman of ECWA district in Kano. "They swore that the ECWA church would not remain in the area, as they would do everything possible to chase Christians out from Kiru." Abdul also lamented the denial of rights to Christians in Kano by area Muslims. "Here in Kano, nobody gives you land to build a church," he said. "The old churches built before now are being demolished for reasons no one can easily grasp." Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the attack and police are reportedly continuing to investigate the situation. (Source: Compass Direct)

    Pray that the believers of this church will be bold in faith in the midst of opposition. Ask God to work in the hearts and lives of militant Muslims in Nigeria, drawing them to repentance and faith in Him (Acts 9:1-19). Pray for peace throughout Nigeria.

    For more information on the persecution of Nigerian Christians,click here.
  • Christians killed by Muslim youths in Jos

    Nathan S. Dabak & Sunday Gyang Bwede
    Photos from Compass Direct
    Seven people were killed by Muslim youths on April 24 in Jos, Nigeria. Thirty-six year old Nathan S. Dabak, an assistant editor, and 39-year-old Sunday Gyang Bwede, a reporter, were on their way to interview a local politician in Gado-Bako when they were attacked by youths who stabbed them to death. Both men were journalists for "The Light Bearer," a newspaper published by the Church of Christ in Nigeria. An unidentified motorcyclist was also killed in the attack. Only weeks ago, a pastor of the same church was murdered along with his wife in Bauchi state (click here for more information).

    Four other Christians were murdered on the same day in Dutse Uku district following the discovery of the body of a teenage Muslim who had gone missing. The believers, three of whom were stabbed, were killed when hundreds of Muslim youths rampaged throughout the area in protest. (Source: Compass Direct)

    Pray for the family members and friends mourning the loss of these believers. Pray that, as sufferings overflow, their comfort in Christ will be more than enough for them (2 Corinthians 1:5). Ask God to change the hearts and minds of the Muslim youths who perpetrated this violence. Pray for lasting peace in Nigeria.

    To find out more about persecution in Nigeria, please visit theNigeria Country Report.
  • Pastor and wife killed

    Suspected Islamists abducted and killed a pastor and his wife in Boto village, Bauchi state in northern Nigeria on April 13. Pastor Ishaku Kadah (48) and his wife Selina (45) were abducted from the headquarters of their church, which was also their home. Their burned bodies were discovered hours later. Police have reportedly arrested two suspects and have launched a man-hunt for several other accomplices involved in the murder. Pastor Ishaku's church previously came under attack in late January by Islamic extremists who set fire to the building mere days after Christians displaced by violence in Plateau state had taken refuge on the premises (click here for more on the violence in Plateau state). (Source: Compass Direct)

    Ask God to fill those who mourn for Ishaku and Selina with a peace that surpasses understanding in the midst of their grief (Philippians 4:7). Pray that the Lord will bring their murderers to justice. Pray for cross-bearing disciples in Nigeria that are committed to working for peace and reconciliation in the nation.

    For more information on Nigeria's suffering Christians,click here.
  • Thirteen Christians killed near Jos


    Photos from Compass Direct
    Thirteen Christians were killed on March 17 when Muslim Fulani herdsmen attacked two Christian villages in Plateau state, Nigeria. The attacks were presumably sparked by a dispute over property. The assailants, some of whom were dressed in military uniforms, attacked Byei and Baten villages at approximately 1:00 a.m. Among those killed were children and two pregnant women. One woman and her son had their tongues cut out, while another woman and her two young children were burned alive in their home. Several other believers have been hospitalized for gunshot or machete wounds. Twenty homes were also burned down in the villages. This latest attack comes less than two weeks after a massive assault, also in Plateau state, in which approximately 500 people were killed (click here for more information). (Sources: Compass Direct, Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

    Ask the Lord to supply the loved ones of those killed with comfort and grace as they mourn. Pray for healing for those with injuries. Pray that God will fill Nigerian believers' hearts with peace beyond comprehension in the midst of terrible violence.

    To find out more about persecution in Nigeria, go to theNigeria Country Report.
  • Christians brutally massacred in Plateau state


    Photo from Christian Solidarity Worldwide
    Muslims launched deadly attacks on Christians in the three farming villages of Dogo Nahawa, Zot and Rastat in Plateau state near the city of Jos, Nigeria on March 7. The Muslim attackers, members of the Fulani ethnic group, killed hundreds of Christians, many of whom were women and children. The majority of the believers were members of the Berom ethnic group. "We were woken up by gunshots in the middle of the night, and before we knew what was happening, our houses were torched and they started hacking down people," said one survivor. The Muslims rampaged through homes while chanting "Allah Akbar" and brutally attacked people with knives and machetes. They also set fire to houses, burning approximately 75 to the ground. Sources estimate that around 500 people were killed in the violence.

    The attack is the latest in several recent religious clashes in the state (click here for more information). While the country is almost evenly divided between Christians and Muslims, the state is predominantly Christian. The Muslim minority has long contested ownership of land in the state, intensifying tension between the two groups. (Source: Compass Direct, Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

    Pray that those in turmoil due to these attacks will look to the God of all comfort for strength and peace (2 Corinthians 1). Pray that violence will not beget violence, but that Christians will demonstrate the love and compassion of Jesus. Pray that God will advance His peace throughout Nigeria.

    For more information about suffering believers in Nigeria,click here.
  • Deadly mob violence erupts in Jos

    At least 100 people were killed, hundreds injured and homes and religious sites burned when mob violence erupted between Muslims and Christians in Jos, Nigeria on January 17. The violence was reportedly sparked by Muslim youths disrupting a worship service at the St. Michael's Catholic Church in the nearby city of Nasarawa Gwong. Muslims then continued attacks in the area, burning the buildings of the Christ Apostolic Church, Assemblies of God Church, three branches of the Church of Christ in Nigeria and two buildings of the Evangelical Church of West Africa. The Nigerian army has been summoned to try to restore order to the region, but many believers remain fearful of further clashes. (Sources: Compass Direct, Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

    Pray that law and order will be restored in this region. Pray that Christians will not retaliate with further violence but will show Christ-like love. Ask God to give strength to Christians in Jos to remain steadfast in their faith (1 Peter 5:8-10). Pray for those who have lost loved ones and property in the riots.

    To find out more about the struggles Christians face in Nigeria,click here.

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