Tag: Ethnic Cleansing

John Ibenu, CAN chairman for the Middle Belt state of Kogi in Nigeria, home to many herder-farmer clashes, defended his organization. His state witnessed 27 deaths in January 2020. “When people are not performing the duties for which they are employed or appointed, they must give way for others to come in,” he stated. “CAN… Continue reading The Persecution of Christians Part 37

Adeboye previously had a reputation for refraining from such critical activity. Some politicians rejoiced that he took a stand, noting that Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is a member of his congregation. “For [Adeboye] to stick his neck out, when the government respects him, will surely cause them to take notice,” said Gideon Para-Mallam, the… Continue reading The Persecution of Christians Part 36

Launched on January 29 to protest the beheading of Brethren pastor Lawan Andimi, the chairman of a regional Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) chapter in Adamawa state, by Boko Haram two weeks earlier, the prayer was also a protest at the Nigerian government’s failure to stop the abductions and killings. Terrorist attacks, as well as… Continue reading The Persecution of Christians Part 35

Having finished his Sunday sermon from Psalm 18 on God as a stronghold who delivers his people from their enemies, Enoch Adeboye then led them to a cemetery. It was an ironic yet appropriate choice. Wearing a bright green tuxedo, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Lagos, Nigeria, marched… Continue reading The Persecution of Christians Part 34

US President Donald Trump called for an end to religious persecution at a US event on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations featuring a woman whose Uighur father has been imprisoned in China. Trump announced at the event on Monday a US pledge of $25 million to protect… Continue reading The Persecution of Christians Part 33

The impact on Christians and on their food security with Fulani herdsmen attacking Christian farmers in Nigeria’s Middle Belt means that tens of thousands of Christian farmers and their families have been displaced from what is called the breadbasket of Nigeria. This is the most fertile and healthy land in the country and has the… Continue reading The Persecution of Christians Part 32

The religious driver is the fact that the Fulani are a primarily Muslim population. When they attack these farming villages, they often burn down churches, kill pastors, and destroy Christians homes and shops. It’s never been heard of a mosque being destroyed or imam being killed during these attacks, so there is a clear sign… Continue reading The Persecution of Christians Part 31

For the ethnic driver, there is a belief that the Fulani historically owned much of northern Nigeria in what was known as the Sokoto Caliphate. Due to this, some think that the Fulani are trying to regain control of what they see as their land. This leads them to then attack and take land from… Continue reading The Persecution of Christians Part 30

The major drivers of the Christian persecution for the Fulani militants is a very complex issue with socio-economic, ethnic, and religious drivers. For the socio-economic driver, the Fulani are mainly migrant herders who need access to land. The Christian farming communities of the Middle Belt also need access to this same land. This creates tensions… Continue reading The Persecution of Christians Part 29

The Christian Ethnic Cleansing has several different drivers, based on groups and location. For Boko Haram, they are dedicated to ridding Nigeria of all Western influence, of which they think Christianity is a part. They also seek to create an Islamic caliphate in the northeastern part of the country. ISWAP is very similar to Boko… Continue reading The Persecution of Christians Part 28