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Nigeria

• Christians Targeted in Islamic Militant Attacks

  

  On the morning of November 1st, armed Islamic militants associated with the Boko Haram terrorist group invaded the village of Takulashi. With the use of automatic weapons, they shot everyone in sight -- burning and looting homes during the rampage. When the militants left the area two hours later, 12 members of the primarily Christian village were found dead, including a church pastor. The attackers also took three women and four children hostage.

• Kidnapped Pastor Released

   

  

  On October 19th, Rev. Polycarp Zongo from the Church of Christ in Nations went missing, along with two Christian women. Ten days later, it was discovered that the three Nigerians had been kidnapped by militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). This faction is a breakaway from the formerly reported Boko Haram terrorist group.

• Lawlessness Heightens Call to Prayer

  

  The violence dominating areas of Nigeria continues as Fulani herdsmen terrorize village communities. Unfortunately, Christians are frequently targeted in these attacks. On September 18th, a church elder was shot in the stomach and his twin daughters kidnapped from their home in Katsina State. Thankfully, Ibrahim Garba survived the attack and received treatment in hospital. His teenaged daughters, Hassana and Hussaina, were released three days later.

• Ongoing Atrocities in Kaduna State

  

  Christians residing in Nigeria's Kaduna State have faced a series of attacks by gunmen in recent weeks, resulting in numerous deaths, in addition to kidnappings. While the exact numbers vary, the victims include children, youth and adults.

• Men Assassinated as Warning to Christians

  

  A Nigerian terrorist group released a video on July 22nd showing five men lined up for execution. The group included three humanitarian aid workers who disappeared last month, along with a security guard and a state employee.

• Reports of "Unfolding Genocide"

  

  For several years, suffering has been a way of life for Christians in Nigeria. In 2010, the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened a preliminary examination into this troubling situation which was formerly caused by the violence of Boko Haram militants. Thousands of lives have been lost throughout the years that followed, along with the destruction of numerous homes and churches, and the abduction of hundreds of innocent victims -- including teen Leah Sharibu who was taken captive in February 2018 and is still missing to date.

• Hundreds Slain in Campaign of Violence

  

  Attempts to stay current with the reporting of attacks and destruction in Nigeria can seem devastatingly futile. The description expressed by VOMC's CEO Floyd Brobbel, as it being "an epic battle," is apropos. One witness defines the situation as an "atmosphere of anarchy and despair." A report from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law states that at least 620 Christians have been killed in the first five months of 2020 alone.

• At Least 37 Dead in Kaduna State

  

  Two recent attacks in Kaduna State show the extent of violence facing Nigerian Christians due to the terrorism of Fulani militia groups....

  On the evening of May 11th, Fulani gunmen laid siege to the village of Gonan Rogo in the Kajuru area. Entire households were wiped out as the militants went from house to house, killing those they found. In one home, Jonathan Yakubu was slaughtered, along with his wife and three young children. In another home, a mother and child were killed, but a three-month-old baby girl miraculous survived a bullet wound to her head. The baby is now in the care of her aunt. In all, 17 people were killed that night and six injured. Ages of the victims ranged from young children to the elderly.

• Justice Declared for Kidnapped Girl

  

  On August 12th, 2015, a 13-year-old girl named Ese Rita Oruru was kidnapped from her home in Bayelsa State of southern Nigeria. After being taken to the northern state of Kano, she was raped, forcibly converted to Islam, and married to her kidnapper.

• Violence Continues Unabated

  

  The ongoing violence in Nigeria by Fulani herdsmen has continued unabated. Christian villagers and churches are frequently targeted by militants holding to strict Islamic ideology. In recent weeks, several incidents have come to light, indicating the need for continued prayer, as well as a call for action by Nigerian authorities. In this report, a few of the more recent incidences will be highlighted.