NIGERIA THREAD

[doug3]

NIGERIA THREAD

So far 29 have died in attacks on Christian communities in the past few days. Further updates on the rapidly escalating situation will be posted here.

See www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16458743

Please continue in prayer.

Thanks

[doug3]

Please see here. See also http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16510929 & http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16540579

[doug3]

The American Family News Network (onenewsnow.com) reports:

'Another religious persecution watchdog group is drawing attention to the dangerous situation in Nigeria.

There has been a spike in violence against Christians in Nigeria and a terrorist group called Boko Haram is taking credit. International Christian Concern [ICC] spokesman Jonathan Racho points out that more than 80 Christians have been martyred in the north in the past few weeks.

“The Christian leaders in Nigeria are expressing their concern that these killings could amount to religious cleansing,” says Racho. “They are calling for help. They are calling for prayers.”

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed concern in a recent statement that it is nearly impossible to protect Christians.

“He said there are people within this government branch who sympathize with Boko Haram -- Islamic radicals -- and he was talking about how the situation is really complicated because of that,” says the ICC spokesman. “You have a situation where the government is divided now.”

President Jonathan is Christian -- and while the south is predominantly Christian, the north is mostly Muslim. Boko Haram has set a deadline for Christians in the north to leave that part of the country, convert to Islam, or die.

International Christian Concern says the potential danger to Christians is so serious that perhaps Nigeria should seek outside assistance and expertise in order to prevent genocide.'

Article: here

Original source: @persecutionnews (persecution.org [ICC]) on Twitter, Jan 17, 2012

Please remember our Nigerian brothers and sisters in your prayers in this time of great uncertainty and confusion in their nation.

Thanks.

[L'Ange]

Religious "cleaansing" happening in Nigeria?


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Is Religious Cleansing Happening in Nigeria?
Listen to our exclusive interview with a Nigerian church leader to find out!



With more than 80 Christians killed by radical Muslims since Christmas, a Nigerian church leader believes that Islamists are carrying out religious cleansing against Christians in northern Nigeria.


In an exclusive interview with ICC (click here to listen to the full interview), the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, called upon Nigerian Christians to defend themselves from the ongoing pogrom.



The Christian leader decried the Nigerian government's failure to protect Christians from the killings and accused some security agents of taking sides. He said, "The security agencies are polarized along religious lines. Even when the security agents have information (concerning security measures to be taken against Boko Haram), some of them pass the information to these criminals. This is because some of the security agents are more loyal to their religion (Islam) than to Nigeria as a nation."


In a disturbing development, the violence has also spread to southern Nigeria where Muslims and their places of worship have been attacked in apparent retaliation for the killing of Christians in northern Nigeria. According to a report by BBC, a mosque and an Islamic school were burned down in the southern Nigerian city of Benin on January 10. Five people were killed and six were injured in violence in the city, but the report did not specify the identities of the victims.


In a direct message to Nigeria's president Goodluck Jonathan, Pastor Ayo said, "You must muster the political will to make strong decisions. Any of the heads of the security agencies that are not performing, you should remove."


Click here to listen to the full audio recording of this interview. The audio may be somewhat difficult to hear - we apologize for the poor sound quality.

[doug3]

Religious "cleaansing" happening in Nigeria?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is Religious Cleansing Happening in Nigeria?
Listen to our exclusive interview with a Nigerian church leader to find out!



With more than 80 Christians killed by radical Muslims since Christmas, a Nigerian church leader believes that Islamists are carrying out religious cleansing against Christians in northern Nigeria.


In an exclusive interview with ICC (click here to listen to the full interview), the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, called upon Nigerian Christians to defend themselves from the ongoing pogrom.



The Christian leader decried the Nigerian government's failure to protect Christians from the killings and accused some security agents of taking sides. He said, "The security agencies are polarized along religious lines. Even when the security agents have information (concerning security measures to be taken against Boko Haram), some of them pass the information to these criminals. This is because some of the security agents are more loyal to their religion (Islam) than to Nigeria as a nation."


In a disturbing development, the violence has also spread to southern Nigeria where Muslims and their places of worship have been attacked in apparent retaliation for the killing of Christians in northern Nigeria. According to a report by BBC, a mosque and an Islamic school were burned down in the southern Nigerian city of Benin on January 10. Five people were killed and six were injured in violence in the city, but the report did not specify the identities of the victims.


In a direct message to Nigeria's president Goodluck Jonathan, Pastor Ayo said, "You must muster the political will to make strong decisions. Any of the heads of the security agencies that are not performing, you should remove."


Click here to listen to the full audio recording of this interview. The audio may be somewhat difficult to hear - we apologize for the poor sound quality.

Here is a link posted on Twitter by several people for a page that links to the interview: this

[doug3]

Today there were multiple bomb blasts and at least one shoot-out in the Northern Nigerian city of Kano. The militant Islamists Boko Haram have claimed responsibility. At least two people are reported killed, by a Nigerian new source, in an attack on a regional police headquarters. There was no further information found on casualties at the time of posting. The police have sealed off sites.

Further information: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16658493 ; http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/01/s...olice-in-kano/

Original source: @BBCAndrewH and others, Twitter, Jan 20, 2012

Please pray for the injured and bereaved, and an end to the violence. Please remember our Nigerian brothers and sisters in your prayers in this time of great uncertainty and confusion in their nation.

Thanks

[doug3]

Today there were multiple bomb blasts and at least one shoot-out in the Northern Nigerian city of Kano. The militant Islamists Boko Haram have claimed responsibility. At least two people are reported killed, by a Nigerian new source, in an attack on a regional police headquarters. There was no further information found on casualties at the time of posting. The police have sealed off sites.

Further information: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16658493 ; http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/01/s...olice-in-kano/

Original source: @BBCAndrewH and others, Twitter, Jan 20, 2012

Please pray for the injured and bereaved, and an end to the violence. Please remember our Nigerian brothers and sisters in your prayers in this time of great uncertainty and confusion in their nation.

Thanks

QUICK UPDATE: In a report yesterday evening (ET) Reuters reported at least six had been killed: see http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...80J1WO20120120; also http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16658493

[doug3]

QUICK UPDATE: In a report yesterday evening (ET) Reuters reported at least six had been killed: see http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...80J1WO20120120; also http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16658493

The number dead is over 150: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16663693, http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/21/wo...html?hpt=hp_t1

[doug3]

Details: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/16736 ; see also http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16155028

Original source : @persecutionblog (Voice of the Marytyrs [VOM], Twitter, Jan 23, 2012)


Please pray for the injured and bereaved, and an end to the violence. Please remember our Nigerian brothers and sisters in your prayers in this time of great uncertainty and confusion in their nation.

Thanks,

[doug3]

Please see http://bibleforums.org/showthread.ph...-Nigeria-(CDN)

[L'Ange]

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NEWS UPDATE:
Tomorrow, the High Court in Lahore is scheduled to hear the 'closing arguments' in the appeal of Pakistan Christian Ruqqiya Bibi who was given a 25-year sentence for 'blasphemy' in March 2010. Her alleged crime was that of 'defiling the Koran' by touching it with unwashed hands. The appeal is brought by Release partner CLAAS (Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement) which is supporting Ruqqiya and her family. Her husband Munir Masih, who was given the same sentence, was released on bail in December 2010 – but Ruqqiya has remained in custody.

(Sources: BBC, CLAAS, International Christian Concern, Reuters, Stefanos Foundation)

• Pray that God will grant His wisdom and grace to church leaders in northern Nigeria amid this heightened terrorist threat. Pray that community leaders and ordinary people of every faith and none will unite against this threat. Pray for a good response to our emergency appeal on behalf of Stefanos.
• Pray that Ruqqiya Bibi's appeal tomorrow will be successful. Pray that she and her husband will be acquitted, and ask God to keep them safe from extremists.

[doug3]

Powerful video report on the recent attacks on Nigerian Christians and others:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CBNnewso.../5/Z4JX24n7uxo

Source: CBNonline's channel on YouTube

Please pray for the injured and bereaved in these atrocities, and an end to the violence. Please remember all our Nigerian brothers and sisters in your prayers in this time of very great uncertainty and confusion in their nation.


Thanks.

[doug3]

Please see http://bibleforums.org/showthread.ph...Injure-over-40

[doug3]

An Egyptian news site, bikyamasr.com, reports that a northern Nigerian spokesperson said yesterday (March 4th) that Boko Haram, the Islamic militant group behind many of the recent atrocities in Nigeria, 'are planning "war" on Christians in the next few weeks' and that they 'will launch a number of attacks, coordinated and part of the plan to eradicate Christians from certain parts of the country.'.

Full article: http://bikyamasr.com/60372/nigerias-...on-christians/


Comment: As yet I have been unable to confirm this report, but the Egyptian site does seem to be a professional news outlet.


Please pray that this threat might not come to pass. Please remember all our Nigerian brothers and sisters in your prayers at this time of very great uncertainty, fear and confusion in their nation.

Thanks

[doug3]

See

http://bibleforums.org/showthread.php/236123-NIGERIA-Islamic-terrorists-plan-to-kidnap-Christian-women and

http://bibleforums.org/showthread.php/236161-NIGERIA-Church-Police-Station-amp-prison-bombed-2-reported-dead

Please pray for the injured and bereaved in these atrocities, and for an end to the violence. Please remember all our Nigerian brothers and sisters in your prayers in this time of very great uncertainty and confusion in their nation.

Thanks.