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Nigeria

  • Cattleman Tortured for His Conversion

    Sardauna Anaruwa Sashi, once a devout Muslim, became a faithful follower of Christ earlier this year. Having learned of his conversion the police apprehended him on September 21. According to an October 31 report by Compass Direct, during four days of detention, the thirty year old resident of Paiko was severely tortured. He claims that at one point police beat him with their batons and almost killed him. It was only through the intervention of his pastor and a lawyer from his church that he was released.

    He is no longer allowed to care for the cattle of the Muslims he was working for since he has become an "infidel" in their eyes. Besides the loss of income he faces, Sashi's pastor has said that the Muslims will also never abandon their resolve to kill him. Sashi has reportedly received death threats since his release. While he fears for his life and the lives of his wife and relatives that have also turned to Christ, he testifies that he will never recant.

    Paiko is located in Niger state, one of Nigeria's northern states where sharia has been imposed.

    (Source: Compass Direct)
  • Pastor and Wife Beaten for Preaching the Gospel
    Lovina Iburene

    A pastor and his wife were severely beaten in the early morning of October 10 because their preaching, according to the Nigerian news service, The Daily Sun.  The couple was attacked by five young men in the early morning of October 10 near their home in Ibeshe, Lagos.  Pastor Enoch Iburene and his wife Lovina allege that the attackers were acting on instruction from community leaders.  They believe the attack is because of the Christian message they have been preaching. 

    For more information on this case, along with other incidents of persecution in Nigeria,click here.  Pray for healing for Enoch and Lovina.  Pray for their continued ministry in Ibeshe.  A seven-minute video news report on the suffering facing Christians in Nigeria is available on the multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com/.

    (Source: The Sun News)
  • Death Sentence Pronounced on Christian Family

    Militant Muslims in Nigeria have pronounced a death sentence on a Christian family in Ikorodu, Lagos state, Nigeria.  The 57-year-old father, Emma Osagie, was also recently assaulted.  According to a July 25 report from Compass Direct, the pronouncement came after the Muslims accused Emma's sixteen-year-old daughter Bridgett of selling pork.  On July 15, the group came to the family home looking for Bridgett, who had gone into hiding.  The allegations were first made in 1993, when Bridgett was only four.  The family denies ever selling pork. At various times, each member of the family has been assaulted by the militants.  The police have been informed but have taken no action.

    The sale of pork is forbidden under Islamic Sharia law.  Unlike twelve other Nigerian states, however, Lagos state is not ruled by Sharia law. 

    Pray for safety for Bridgett.  Pray that she will be free to move about without fear for her life.  Pray that these allegations will be shown to be false.

    For more information on persecution of Christians in Nigeria,click here.
  • Church Burned for the Fourth Time

    For the fourth time in five years, the Conquerors Chapel of the Word of Faith Ministries in Kaduna, Nigeria, was destroyed by fire on April 10.  According to a May 2 report from Compass Direct, there have been no arrests on any of the arson attacks.

    According to the church's pastor, Ndubuisi Chiazor, he had just left the chapel with the board of elders eight minutes earlier when he received a phone call that the church building had been set on fire by some Muslims.  Rushing back, they found the building ablaze. Within forty minutes, everything was destroyed. 

    Pastor Chiazor says that the attacks began shortly after the introduction of sharia law in Kaduna State in 2000.  Local Muslims began to demand that the church cease meeting.  Soon afterwards, they built a mosque next to the church building and demanded that the church move their meetings. The church leadership has resolved to not move.  However, many of the congregation have left, some leaving the city out of fear.

    Pray for the continued ministry of the Church in Kaduna.  Pray for wisdom for the leadership of the Word of Faith Ministries.  Pray that local authorities will take seriously their God-given responsibility to provide equal protection to all of the residents of Kaduna.

    For more information on the difficulties experienced by Christians in Nigeria,click here.
  • Attack Kills Thirty-Six, Displaces Thousands

    In an unprovoked attack, Islamic militants attacked a predominantly Christian community in the village of Demsa, Adamawa in northern Nigeria.  According to a March 4 report by Compass Direct, thirty-six Christians were killed and their property destroyed when their community was attacked on February 4.  Those who survived, around 3000, have fled for refuge to the village of Mayolope in the neighbouring state of Taraba.

    A Muslim in Mayolope, Alhaji Saleh Jatau, told Compass that the militants do not have the support of the Muslim community when they attack Christians.  "I am appealing that the government should act quickly to end this conflict. We have lived in peace with Christians, but now some of us [Muslims] have decided to cause problems between us," Jatau told Compass.  The Christians taking refuge in Mayolope are refusing to return without a lasting solution from the government.

    Pray for government intervention and a solution to this on-going problem in various areas of Nigeria.  Pray that there will be a peaceful co-existence between Muslims and Christians.  Pray for peace for the families of those killed.

    For more information on the difficulties facing Christians in Nigeria,click here.
  • Threats of Death Against Expelled Students
    Students at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
    Militant Muslims have pronounced a death sentence on five Christians expelled from from schools in Nigeria in November.  Hanatu Haruna Alkali, Abraham Adamu Misal, Habakkuk Solomon, Hankuri Gaya, and a student identified as Uzochukwu were expelled by the authorities of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) and the Federal Polytechnic in Bauchi for sharing the gospel with Muslim students.

    Since then, the students have been facing threats from Muslims.  The families of two of the students, Alkali and Misal, were attacked on January 26 when militant groups went to the family homes in the state of Gombe in northern Nigeria with the intent of killing them.  According to a February 3 report from Compass Direct, Alkali was not at home when the family was held at gunpoint.  Her father wrestled the gun from the hand of one of them, but one of the other militants stabbed her mother.  Both Alkali and Misal are now in hiding.  The whereabouts of the other three students are unknown at this time.

    Muslim leaders in Bauchi support the death pronouncements, saying that Muslims must be prepared to defend their religion.

    Pray for safety for these five students and other Christians under threat in Nigeria.  Pray for their families and for a quick recovery for Alkali's mother.

    For more information on persecution facing Christians in Nigeria,click here.
  • Christian Leader Killed in Ambush
    Funeral for Davou Bulle
    Mary Bulle following the attack

    Some of the bullets removed

    Just weeks after the Nigerian government lifted a six-month state of emergency in the central Nigerian Plateau state, Muslim militants ambushed a Christian leader and his family in the village of Ganna Ropp on December 29.  Davou Bulle died and his wife and son were injured.

    Following the killing, a VOM contact visited the family to ascertain what happened.  According to his sister, Davou had been facing on-going harassment from a Muslim man, Alhaji Gambo, who owned a neighbouring farm.  As Davou and his family were returning home after a day's work on their farm, Gambo and his sons ambushed them.  They first shot the tires of the van and then began to shoot at the Bulle family, killing Davou and injuring his wife, Mary, and son, Gyan.  Mary lost one eye and, at last report, remained in hospital in Jos.  Gyan attempted to protect his father and was shot fourteen times.  Gyan miraculously is recovering in hospital.  Several arrests have been made, including Alhaji Gambo and two of his sons. 

    Pray for the physical recovery of Mary and Gyan.  Pray for peace and inner healing for family and friends grieving their loss.  Pray that religious violence will not increase in Plateau state and that Christians will not retaliate for this attack.  In May 2004, Christian militias in Plateau state retaliated for attacks by Muslims, resulting in 300 deaths.  A six-month state of emergency was declared to quell the violence.

    For more information on the difficulties facing Christians in Nigeria,click here.
  • Christian Student Killed by Mob
    Students at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
    Opposition to Christian evangelism has resulted in the death of a student at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in the northern city of Bauchi, according to Compass Direct.  Earlier three students had been expelled for distributing a Christian tract.  In the early morning of December 9, Sunday Nache Achi was taken from his room by men dressed in jihad style clothing.  When Achi's roommate attempted to intervene, he was threatened at gunpoint and then locked in his room.  The next morning, Achi was found strangled to death next to a mosque, near the home of the university's vice-chancellor.  The office of the Nigeria Fellowship of Evangelical Students in Bauchi was also set on fire.

    Pray for comfort and peace for the family and friends of Sunday Achi.  Pray that those responsible for this crime will come to faith in Jesus Christ.

    For more information on the difficulties facing Christians in Nigeria,click here.  The Voice of the Martyrs has a seven-minute video report from Nigeria available on their multimedia website at www.vomcanada.com.  Registration is required, but membership is free.
  • Two Die in Attack on Evangelistic Team

    Ten heavily-armed Islamic militants attacked an evangelistic team in Dutse, the capital of the state of Jigawa in northern Nigeria on November 23 during an open-air evangelistic event.  According to Compass Direct, the New Life For All evangelistic team was leaving for street evangelism when they were attacked.  Fighting then broke out between the militants and moderate Muslims objecting to the attack on the evangelists.  Police intervened and ten militants were arrested.  However, two people died in the attack and twenty were injured.  One of those who died was a militant; the identity of the other is unknown at this time.

    Violence against Christians is not rare in Dutse.  In March 2003, three churches and a hotel were destroyed (click here for details).  Pray that violence against Christians will cease in Nigeria .  Thank God that some Muslims in Nigeria were willing to stand up for the religious freedoms of others.  Pray that this will grow.

    For more information on the opposition facing Christians in Nigeria ,click here.
  • Islamic Sect in Nigeria Attacks Christian Villagers

    A militant Islamic sect, which has been terrorizing Christians in northern Nigeria for several months, attacked numerous villages on September 20, burning homes, killing a number of people, including four police officers, and kidnapping seven Christians. According to the September 27 report from Compass Direct, the group known as the Talibans attacked police stations in the towns of Bama and Gwoza, in Borno State. As they retreated, they burned several villages, raping, plundering and killing anyone they perceived as enemies of Islam. According to police, several of the militants were killed following the attacks and five have been arrested in neighbouring Cameroon.

    Pray for safety for Christians in Nigeria, facing such attacks. Pray that the authorities will be able to stop these groups. Pray for peace in Nigeria.

    For more information on persecution in Nigeria,click here. Go to the Video section of VOM's multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com, to view video reports on Nigeria and other countries around the world.

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