By Melissa Martin

We cannot forget about the torturing and killing of the Nigerian people – persecuted for their faith.  

“Persecution in Nigeria is, simply put, brutally violent. In much of northern Nigeria, Christians live their lives under the constant threat of attack from Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Fulani militants and criminals who kidnap and murder with few consequences.” Visit www.opendoorsusa.org. 

According to a 2022 article in the Morning Star News, in Nigeria’s Kaduna State, at least 50 Christians were murdered and a Catholic priest was abducted; 100 kidnapped Christians were taken captive in Giwa County; and radical Fulani terrorists burned houses and a church, and slaughtered animals. 

“Nigeria’s killings and kidnappings of Christians continue to increase while Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari—a Fulani tribesman himself—and his government do worse than nothing in the face of the ongoing religious violence and destruction.” Visit www.providencemag.com. 

A report by the U.S-based Christian persecution monitoring group Open Doors shows the number of Christians killed in 2020 increased by 60 percent, mostly because of Islamic violence against Nigerian Christians. 

Another U.S.-based organization, International Christian Concern, estimates 50,000 to 70,000 Christians have died in violent attacks in Nigeria over 18 years, mostly carried out by Boko Haram terrorists or arms-wielding gangs. Visit www.persecution.org. 

On January 30, 2020, Christian Solidarity International (CSI) issued a genocide warning for Nigeria. Read more information at www.csi-schweiz.ch. 

Why isn’t the Nigerian government taking action? Where are the voices of the other 53 countries in Africa? Why isn’t the United Nations Security Council taking action? Why isn’t American President Joe Biden taking action? Why isn’t Pope Francis taking action? Why isn’t mainstream media covering the violence?  

Ministers, pastors, and Christians from churches around the globe need to contact Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari by Facebook or twitter or on Nigeria Embassy in Cote at www.nigeriaembassyci.org; the U.S. Embassy and Consulate to Nigeria at ng.usembassy.gov or [email protected] or phone: (234)-9-461-4000; and the government administrators in their own countries. Media outlets need to print the stories of persecution.  

“Religion which requires persecution to sustain, it is of the devil’s propaganda.” –Hose Ballou 

About the Author:

Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is a syndicated opinion-editorial columnist. She lives in USA.