From Captive to Graduate: Joyful News from Nigeria
Premier Christian News reported how Mary Katambi, one of the girls abducted by Boko Haram from her school in Chibok has graduated university with a degree in accounting. She was given a private scholarship (not by BtJ) to make this possible. Her parents expressed pride and gratitude. At one time, they feared they would never see her again. Now their
Continue ReadingChibok Girls: God chose the weak to shame the strong
What kind of person is most likely to survive prolonged extreme physical and psychological pressures? You would think that a young, fit, spiritually mature and stable man, with military or outdoor training and some medical skills would make the best chance. What chance would a group of teenage schoolgirls from a poor and illiterate background have? When writing about children
Continue ReadingISIS and China Gain Influence in Africa
It is being reported that Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau is dead. He blew himself up after refusing surrender to warriors of ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province), a rival terrorist group and ISIS affiliate, who were chasing him. Both Boko Haram and ISWAP have been terrorizing Northern Nigeria for many years. As well as killing, looting, and kidnapping civilians,
Continue ReadingProtests in Nigeria
It was another sad week for Nigeria’s Middle Belt. In Kaduna State, an Assemblies of God church was burnt down, and eight Christians were killed by ‘bandits’ on Wednesday. Many of the attacks on Christians are blamed on bandits. This makes it look like a crime problem instead of a problem of the growing influence of Islamic extremism. The government
Continue ReadingAn Eighteenth Birthday Event for a Girl Who Can’t Celebrate
Today Leah Sharibu turns eighteen in a Boko Haram terrorist camp. PSJUK, an organisation of Nigerians in the UK, is organising a birthday event in her honour. There will be ‘performances, poetry and prayer’. This is what they write about their reasons for marking this special day: “Whilst the world looks to freedom post-pandemic, Leah Sahribu remains locked down in
Continue ReadingKidnapped Students Show Grace
Last week, 27 students in Kaduna State, Nigeria, were freed after spending 57 days in the jungle with their kidnappers. They were taken from their school by bandits and held captive without shelter or adequate food and drink. They describe their experience as ‘hell’ and understandably so. But when speaking of their kidnappers there was no hate. We have written
Continue ReadingSchools Close in Nigeria, But Not Because of Covid
Parents want their children to be safe and have a successful future. But what do you do if you have to choose between your child’s safety and education? Many parents in Nigeria are faced with school closures. Not because of Covid, or even because of school shootings, but because of mass abductions by terror groups and bandits. Hundreds of children
Continue ReadingA Deadly Cocktail in Northern Nigeria
Are Christians really persecuted in Nigeria? If you have followed our recent reporting about the situation in Nigeria, this may seem a strange question. But authorities in Nigeria itself do not readily agree there is a problem with religious persecution. Open Doors recently called Nigeria a persecution hotspot. Deaths due to Islamic terrorism were up 60% last year and nearly
Continue ReadingPRAISE GOD! Pastor Bulus Yakuru Released on Execution Day
Today, we thank God with the church of Nigeria that Pastor Yakuru was released instead of executed on the day the ultimatum, which Boko Haram had set, ran out. Many feared that this case would end like previous ones, where pastors had lost their lives. But, by God’s grace his life was spared and he is now in a secure
Continue ReadingPersecution: Nigeria moves to the top ten
On the new watch list of Open Doors for 2021, rating the severity of persecution against Christians, Nigeria has moved from number 12 in 2020 to number 9 today. It now falls in the most extreme category, together with nations like Afghanistan, Yemen and Iran. It scores higher than even Iraq and Saudi Arabia. We have written several articles about
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