Rev. Yohanna Shuaibu was the pastor of the New Life for All Nation Church in the Nigerian village of Masu, located in Kano State. He also served as the local chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria. After being attacked on September 22nd by an angry mob, described as "irate Muslim youths," the church leader succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The conflict began after a young man in the area by the name of Sabo had left Islam. On September 21st, Sabo, who was neither attending a church nor a mosque, got into an argument and ended up killing his brother's wife. Even though he subsequently turned himself in for police custody, the expression of differing opinions among local Muslims quickly turned violent.
Already angry because of the growth of the church in the area, a rumour began to spread among Muslim villagers that Sabo had become a Christian, and that Rev. Yohanna was responsible for converting him. The villagers, who were enraged that Sabo had escaped vigilante justice, also learned that the pastor may have encouraged the young man to surrender himself to the police.
As tension mounted in Masu village, Rev. Yohanna was advised to leave the area with his family. After spending the night in the neighbouring village of Biri, the pastor returned the next day to evacuate students from a Christian school he helped to establish. Believing that the hostilities had subsided, his family returned to the community.
That night, a Muslim mob descended on the Christian leader's home. Although his wife and children managed to escape to safety, Rev. Yohanna himself suffered multiple machete blows. When police were alerted of the incident, the wounded pastor was rushed to hospital where he died the next day. Later that evening, the mob continued their attack, destroying the Christian family's home, the building of the church, as well as the Christian school.
Rev. Yohanna, a prominent figure in the community, is described as a "peace-loving Christian community leader." Along with coordinating over 100 churches, he helped to raise funds for the establishment of a school and the drilling of wells which are now providing clean water in areas where government-provided water was previously unavailable – including a local mosque.
Greg Musselman, Minister-at-Large for The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, recently spoke with Rev. Yunusa Nmadu, the General Secretary of the Evangelical Church Winning All. In the interview, they discussed the situation in Nigeria, including the rise of persecution that has taken place over recent years. To view the interview, go to this page.
Prayerfully remember Rev. Yohanna's wife and children in their time of grief, asking the Lord to fill them with His comfort and strength. In fact, please pray for all the Christians in the area who are now dealing with the loss of their dear friend, brother-in-Christ, and esteemed church leader. May God mightily intervene in the lives of those responsible for this horrific crime, replacing their anger towards the church with a deep longing for spiritual truth and peace. Also pray for the continued growth of the Gospel in Masu village, and other areas throughout Nigeria, so that the light of Christ can draw many more across this troubled nation to salvation in Him.
Population
