Conflict in Nigeria continues to rise, and with it, the death toll of Nigerian Christians.
They live daily facing the threat of ISIS, Boko Haram, and radical Fulani herdsmen jihadists.
Now they are begging for President Trump’s help.
The U.S. President has been in talks for months with the Nigerian government to end the violence in the region.
In April, President Trump signed a deal with Nigeria to purchase 12 American fighter jets to fight off the persecution of Nigerian Christians. But was that enough? And what more can be done to stop the conflict?
Nigeria has been a dangerous country for Christians for quite some time.
This year alone, conservative estimations indicate that around 1,700 people have been killed by Fulani herdsmen jihadists. However, many people believe that the numbers are much higher than anyone has been led to believe.
Bishop of Joss, Benjamin Kwashi, stated that these attacks are, “deliberative, they are calculated and those carrying them out are well trained. Everyone knows that they are trained either by Al-Qaeda or ISIS. Everyone knows that they are well armed, they kill soldiers, they kill police. They overrun villages … in the most inhuman ways.”
This is what the Christians in Nigeria are up against. These terrorists are ruthless, and they will go after the most vulnerable of their targeted population.
According to William Amove Avenya, the bishop of Gboko Diocese, “Fulani tribesmen, armed to the teeth, are murdering pregnant women and children and destroying our smallholdings.”
He feels that the threat they are facing is going unanswered by anyone who may be able to help.
All of this violence seems to be no surprise, as Nigeria ranked number 12 on Open Doors USA’s World Watchlist. These 50 countries represent the worst countries in the world for Christian persecution, and Nigeria remains frightfully near the top as the violence escalates every day.
Despite President Trump meeting with the Nigerian president, telling him the attacks must stop, helping to acquire fighter-jets, and sending the State Department to Nigeria (all in 2018), violence still seems to be steadily on the rise.
In fact, according to Premier and Fox News, persecution, including that of Nigerian Christians, is set to rise in 2019. If this is true, then the numbers of those killed could reach astronomical proportions.
The good news is that Donald Trump has stated several times that his administration will take action to prevent violence against Christians around the world. Perhaps 2019 can be the change that the Christian world has been praying for.
According to Bishop Kwashi, “We need an envoy whose heart and voice will carry the weight necessary to stop the killings. We are [appealing] to the kind-heartedness of the Americans, the energy, the care, and the concern for justice.”
Nigeria needs a strong hand to stand up to the terrorists who are threatening their lives and everything they hold dear. Many are hoping that the U.S. will be that strong hand that finally helps to end all of the suffering that they have had to endure.
So, will Trump continue to support Christians and stand up to persecution in 2019? Only time will tell, but we are certainly praying that the Christians in Nigeria, and all over this earth, receive relief from the horrid and threatening conditions that they have been living with.
We ask you all to join us in praying for the persecution happening in Nigeria, and around the world, to end.
Pray that the death and the fear become something that nobody else has to deal with ever again.
And help us pray that the terrorists of Christians can realize their wrong-doings and turn their attention to the One True God.
If you would like to donate to those who are being persecuted in Nigeria, you can visit Voice of the Martyrs’ site, www.persecution.com/helpfornigeria. Or you can visit www.opendoorsusa.org and click the “Donate Now” button to send aid to those persecuted worldwide.
And if you’re interested in how God is still working in Nigeria even amidst all this violence, please read our recent article on the thousands of Muslim Fulani Herdsmen who are converting to Christianity!
