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Nigeria

Thousands of Christians ‘Deliberately Targeted’ and Killed in Nigeria, New Report Says

The killing, persecution, and displacement of Christians in Nigeria is “unrelenting” and “a time bomb,” according to a major new report. Christians “are deliberately targeted,” as well as “Christian communities, their livelihood(s), faith leaders and places of worship,” according to the report by Open Doors International, a faith-based non-profit working to raise awareness of global persecution, aiming to mobilize prayer, support, and action among Christians.

“Last year alone, in Nigeria there were more people that were killed because of their Christian faith than all other places in the globe combined,” Ryan Brown, the CEO of Open Doors U.S., told American media, adding “to be specific, there were 4998 Christians that were killed because of their faith in Nigeria last year.”

In testimonies recorded for the Open Doors International report, titled “No Road Home,” attacks on Christians are said to have been carried out by Islamist terror groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province, and predominantly Muslim Fulani militants, who originally were herdsmen.

“When the Fulani gunmen came to attack, they could be heard shouting ‘Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest), we will destroy all Christians,’” one interviewee claimed in the report. Another added, “The Fulani started to shoot, burning houses. They burnt our animals and maize plants.” (FN / VFI News)

“You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.” - Luke 21:16-19