Violent Killings of Christians in Nigeria Up 62 Percent

Source: The Tablet

February 25, 2016

    

Religious persecution in northern Nigeria is rising rapidly, with a 62 per cent increase in the violent killings of Christians recorded in the past year, according to a new report.

The report, released by Open Doors, a charity that monitors religiously motivated violence and discrimination, shows that in 2015 there were 4,028 killings and 198 church attacks, nearly double those of the previous year.

In the five years between 2006 and 2014, 11,500 Christians were killed and 13,000 churches destroyed, forcing 1.3 million Christians to flee to safer areas of the country or risk smuggling routes to Europe, says the report.

The persecution of Christians is carried out by three groups: Islamist terror group, Boko Haram; Muslim Fulani herdsmen; and the Muslim religious and political elite that dominates government in northern Nigeria.

Lisa Pearce, chief executive of Open Doors UK and Ireland, said that even though Nigeria is officially a secular federal state with a constitution guaranteeing freedom of religion, the reality in northern Nigeria is very different.

“For decades, Christians in the region have suffered marginalisation and discrimination as well as targeted violence,” she added. “This is happening not only in the Sharia states of the far north where the pressure of Islam is hard felt, but also in the non-Sharia middle belt states where Sharia has not been formally implemented.

“Several areas of Northern Nigeria have seen Christianity virtually wiped out,” she said.

Last month, Open Doors, released its annual league table of the worst countries in which to be a Christian.

North Korea topped the list for overall persecution in 2015, while Nigeria had the largest number of Christians killed for their faith; recording more than half of the 7000-plus killings around the globe.

The Tablet

2/26/2016

See also
Obama to Nigerian Christians: Change Laws on Abortion, Homosexuality If You Want Protection from Boko Haram Obama to Nigerian Christians: Change Laws on Abortion, Homosexuality If You Want Protection from Boko Haram Obama to Nigerian Christians: Change Laws on Abortion, Homosexuality If You Want Protection from Boko Haram Obama to Nigerian Christians: Change Laws on Abortion, Homosexuality If You Want Protection from Boko Haram
A Catholic Bishop from Nigeria has leveled an explosive charge against President Barack Obama over his failure to adequately help Nigeria in the African nation’s fight againt the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram that might explain why Obama has let Boko Haram slaughter Nigerian Christians and rape and enslave Christian girls.
Thousand Churches Destroyed in Nigeria Thousand Churches Destroyed in Nigeria Thousand Churches Destroyed in Nigeria Thousand Churches Destroyed in Nigeria
In just two months, from August to October, nearly 200 Christian churches were destroyed in Nigeria by the Islamic organization Boko Haram and its Muslim allies, after their capture of towns and villages in the north-eastern states of Borno and Adamawa.
Christianity as threatened by liberalised doctrine as by Islamic violence: Nigerian Anglican Primate Christianity as threatened by liberalised doctrine as by Islamic violence: Nigerian Anglican Primate Christianity as threatened by liberalised doctrine as by Islamic violence: Nigerian Anglican Primate Christianity as threatened by liberalised doctrine as by Islamic violence: Nigerian Anglican Primate
Christianity is an “endangered species” in Africa, pressed between violence from Islamist terrorism on one side and doctrinal and moral “disunity” among Christians on the other, a leading Nigerian Anglican bishop has said. The Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, the Anglican Primate of Nigeria’s 18 million Anglican Christians, warned the other African nations that doctrinal relativism, which he called “nominalism,” and the “doctrine of prosperity” – the idea that God rewards the morally upright with material wealth - are creating as serious a threat to the continuance of Christianity as Islamic violence on the continent.
Comments
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×