Nigeria,
50 Christians martyred in church, 100 killed in 12 villages, farm
crops ravaged by Boko Haram rebels.
 |
Nigerian
Farmers by Mike Blyth
|
Church
of Christ in Nigeria reeling from massacre.
JOS,
Nigeria, July 11 (Open Doors News) – Church of Christ in
Nigeria officials tell Open Doors News that their members in the Jos
region are fleeing their homes, fearful of more violence in the wake
of last weekend’s mass killings in Plateau state.
After
a week of rising tensions between the mainly Muslim ethnic Fulani and
the mainly Christian ethnic Birom, about 50 members of the Church of
Christ in Nigeria around the village of Maseh had fled their homes,
taking refuge July 7 in the home their pastor.
The
gunmen came Saturday, entering the home and opening fire. Then they
burned the house.
“Fifty
of our church members were killed in the church building where they
had fled to take refuge. They were killed alongside the wife of the
pastor and children,” said Rev. Dachollom Datiri, vice president of
the Church of Christ in Nigeria, in a July 11 interview with Open
Doors News at the church’s headquarters in Jos.
Church
officials said that in all, about 100 Church of Christ members were
killed in the weekend attacks in 12 villages: Maseh,
Ninchah, Kakkuruk, Kuzen, Negon, Pwabiduk, Kai, Ngyo, Kura Falls,
Dogo, Kufang, and Ruk.
In
a country where Christians have suffered violence for more than a
decade, last weekend’s mass killings nonetheless have left the
Church of Christ, and much of the country, in shock.
“They
are psychologically traumatized, and their productive economic
activities are impeded,” said Rev. Obed
Dashan, general secretary of the Church of Christ in Nigeria, of
surviving church members.
“Most
of them are peasant farmers and the attacks have not allowed them to
go to their farms. Even those that have planted crops have had their
crops destroyed by the Muslim attackers.”
Church
leaders claim the Nigerian government is turning a blind eye to
persecution of Christians in the country, and fear more violence will
occur as a result.
“The
whole thing is coming to a head,” Datiri said. “It’s been a
long-term thing planned by the Boko Haram. This is a jihadist
movement with the agenda to Islamize the country. It is a jihad, a
religious war against Christians for refusing to embrace Islam. So,
they are using terrorism as a weapon. That is the reason you see that
the target of their attacks are Christians and our churches.”
Copyright
2012 Open Doors News.
OpenDoors News is distributed to raise awareness of Christians worldwide
who are persecuted for their faith. Articles may be reprinted by
active subscribers only.
Let
them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the LORD
chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the angel of
the LORD pursue them. For without cause they have hidden their net
for me in a pit, Which they have dug without cause for my life. Let
destruction come upon him unexpectedly, And let his net that he has
hidden catch himself; Into that very destruction let him fall (Psalm
35:5-8 NKJV).
The
moron bully boys have slaughtered God's people, their own countrymen,
butchering men, women, and children. The Christians killed are in the
glorious presence of God.
We
pray for the families and friends. We pray for the salvation of all
the nation and people of Nigeria to be very strong in battling the
cowardly attackers. We pray for the victory of the Nigerian Army.
We
pray for God to overcome the Boko Haram rebels, to return them to
peace and responsibility, to see the value in all God's Creation and
people. We pray for their salvation.
– Bill
Hunt
World
in Christ
No comments:
Post a Comment