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Nigeria

• 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

  Muslim 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.

• Pastors beheaded in Borno state

  Twelve Christians were killed, including three pastors, in northern Nigeria after members of the Islamic militant group Boko Haram launched attacks on police and government bases on July 26. The violence, which began in Bauchi state, spread to the states of Borno, Kano and Yobe. Churches were set ablaze and several people were abducted, including Christians. Many believers were threatened with death if they refused to convert to Islam. According to an August 6 report from The Daily Sun, three pastors -- Pastor Sabo Yukubu, Pastor Sylvester Akpan and Pastor George Orji -- were brutally beheaded by assailants who were reportedly acting on the instruction of the militant group's leader, Mohammed Yusuf, who was later killed by authorities. The militants attempted to force the pastors to convert to Islam, but they refused to abandon their faith. They were then beheaded by guards who shouted "Allah Akbar" and fired several gunshots into the air in celebration.

  Pray that God will comfort the families of those killed in these attacks. Pray that the peace of Christ will rule the hearts and minds of Nigerian Christians in the face of ongoing threats and danger (Philippians 4:7).

  To find out more about how Christians suffer in Nigeria,click here.

• Mob violence against Christians in Niger State

  On April 13, a mob of suspected Islamic militants attacked a group of Christians who were peacefully marching through the town of Gwada in an Easter Monday celebration in Niger State, Nigeria. Approximately 25 were injured and three churches were torched in the violence. Attacks also occurred in the capital city of Minna, where assailants attempted to set a church building on fire. Cars were burned and vandalized and several believers were stabbed. At last report, approximately 110 suspects were arrested for their involvement in the attacks.

  Pray for lasting peace in Nigeria. Pray that Christians will exemplify the love of God through consistent love and prayer for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:43-48).

  For more information on Nigeria's suffering Christians, please visit theNigeria Country Report.