Tags

Muslim

• College Student Killed for Alleged Blasphemy

  

  A 25-year-old Christian student at the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto state, Nigeria, was killed by a mob on May 12th after rumours spread that she had blasphemed against Mohammed on a WhatsApp group chat. The precise nature of her comments is unclear, but it appears that the problem started when Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu expressed exasperation at religious posts being shared by her classmates, asking that the others focus on issues related to their course work. Apparently, Deborah also rejected advances from one of the other students, who later made the blasphemy accusation.

• Two Teenage Girls Recently Kidnapped

  

  After more than two weeks of apparent investigative searching, police have been unable to find two Christian girls who were kidnapped on March 7th from the Christian colony of Ghaziabad Aorangi Town which is located within the capital city of Karachi. A Christian lawyer involved in the case stated that, because the girls are Christians and their families are poor, the police have shown little interest in finding them. She asserted, "Police often side with the criminals, while courts bring Sharia law into consideration and decide these cases in favour of the kidnappers."

• Boarding School Attacked by Jihadists

  

  For several years, Burkina Faso has faced civil unrest, particularly due to al-Qaeda and Islamic State factions. Dissatisfaction over the government's lack of response to the jihadist crisis has led to mounting tensions which ultimately brought about a military coup on January 23rd.

• Pastor and Other Christians Killed

  

  On Saturday, September 11th, Rev. Silas Yakubu Ali left his home in the Zangon Kataf area of Kaduna, Nigeria, and set off for the town of Kafanchan, but was not heard from again. Early the next morning, a search party found his body, which was inflicted with bullet and machete wounds, less than a kilometre from his home.

• Christian Escapes the Country

  

  Over the past several months, Christians around the world have been following reports about a Saudi Arabian Christian referred to as "A" or "Adam." For more information, see our previously published reports, which are available at our country report.

• Attacks Perpetrated by Family and Neighbours

  

  Three recent incidents of violence against Christians in Uganda reveal the costs of following Christ. For believers in this African nation, opposition can come from many directions, even close family members, and may potentially result in serious injury or death.

• Christian Sentenced for Allegedly Accepting Donations

  

  "Ahmed" (not his real name due to security concerns) knows well the cost of following Christ. When the Algerian man became a Christian in April 2013, his wife began seeing positive changes in his life. As a result, three months later, she also professed her faith in Christ.

• Believer's Family Escapes into Exile

  

  A Christian believer in Saudi Arabia, who was identified in previous Persecution & Prayer Alert reports as "A" or "Adam," has been sentenced with a large fine for allegedly attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity, as well as assisting his sister to flee the country. The accused believer was given 30 days to pay the fine unless an appeal was granted. (For more details about this situation, see this page.)

• Pastor Killed for Reaching Out to Muslims

  

  Security officials have arrested an imam who confessed to killing a pastor on June 11th for sharing the Gospel with Muslims in Uganda. Bishop Francis Obo served as the senior pastor of Mpingire Pentecostal Revival Church Ministries International in the village of Odapako and was also responsible for overseeing the ministry of 17 churches in the area. He was killed after being approached by a group of Islamic militants as he was leaving a market with his wife, Christine.

• Christians on Blacklist

  

  More than 130 civilians in Burkina Faso were indiscriminately slaughtered during an overnight raid on Yagha village on June 4th. Although no particular group has claimed responsibility for this most recent attack, government officials believe the devastating invasion was the work of one of several Islamic jihadist groups operating in the area.