Nigeria is the deadliest country for Christians in the world, and genocide continues as Islamic militants continue to attack Christian communities.
By early 2023, more than 60,000 Nigerian Christians would have been killed during a decade-long genocide that was largely motivated by Islamic jihad. Abductions and violence are a major problem in three states of Nigeria, as the Nigerian Government refuses to take action against Christians.
International Christian Concern (ICC) reports that Christian communities have been targeted in Kaduna State’s counties of Ikara, Kabau, and Kaduna. On August 14, Islamic jihadis kidnapped two Christians and injured another from Ikara’s Angwan tube in Kurmin Kogo ward. Two abductions also occurred in the Dogon Fako Community on August 14, including Rev. Bitrus Inusa.
Two weeks ago, extremists kidnapped a pastor in Kargi Ward and another member of the community. The violence spread to the Kabau local administration area. The ransom was paid and the pastor was released, but the violence continued. On August 17, another pastor as well as two other people were abducted in an attack on Kwankwarmin Gedage.
Even in the Southeast, things are still dire. Five Christian students were abducted by Islamic Fulani extremists from the Enugu State College of Health Technology in Oji River Local Government Area on August 15, 2015. This incident occurred at the same time as a Fulani terrorist attack in which 20 medical and dental students from the Universities of Jos and Maiduguri were kidnapped on the Otukpo – Enugu road.
Ben Bini, the Christian leader of Kaduna city, told ICC that there is a trend in Nigeria for violence against Christian clergy as well as laymen.
This church in Nigeria was burned to the ground by Islamic Fulani militants. In the US, Christians walk into churches with coffee shops and think of “persecution” as a culture rejecting their values. Meanwhile, Nigerian Christians are being massacred: 5 died on June 21st. pic.twitter.com/R35qayZajM
— Anthony Bradley (@drantbradley) June 22, 2024
Plateau is a state that has a history of anti-Christian persecution. This tragic reality continues. According to ICC, Rigwe farmers in Plateau’s Bassa County “face ongoing threats which threaten their agricultural livelihoods.”
ICC gave an example. On July 23, Islamic Fulani terrorists destroyed corn and soya bean crops in Bassa’s Miango. A month later, on August 23, the same farm was hit by a second attack that destroyed its crops.
Where is the outrage and sympathy of the world? Why is it that only the Gazans who love jihad are provoking marches and protests? Where is the outrage over the bloody persecutions of African Christians? Even Nigeria was removed from the list as a country of special concern for religious liberty by the Biden-Harris Administration!
Many Christian leaders in the West are silent and many Christians do not know that genocide occurs in Nigeria. This must change.