As Nigerian crisis grows, hundreds of Release International supporters gather to pray for abducted schoolgirls. National conference in London called on Nigeria to protect its vulnerable Christian minority.
Islamist militants Boko Haram have burst into churches to attack Christians at worship in Northern Nigeria, killing at least 40, according to reports. The latest attack, which targeted Christians at morning prayer, was just six miles from Chibok, where the terrorist group kidnapped hundreds of mainly Christian schoolgirls.
Those girls and the growing number of Boko Haram victims were prayed for at a packed conference held by Release International in London. Supporters also called on Nigeria to act decisively to protect its vulnerable Christian minority in the north.
Survivors of the latest attack on Sunday told reporters that the Nigerian army simply fled as Boko Haram shot civilians and set fire to houses and churches. The attacks were on Kwada and Kautikari villages in Borno state.
In London, hundreds of supporters of Release International gathered around cut-out silhouettes of the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls to pray for their release.
The conference also urged the Nigerian government to take decisive action to step up security for Christians under siege.
Boko Haram’s stated aim is to impose Taliban-style Sharia law across the whole of Nigeria. Its actual objective may be to split the mainly Muslim north from the mainly Christian South. The militants’ full name is Jamāʻat Ahl as-Sunnah lid-daʻwa wal-Jihād, which translates as the Congregation of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad.
The group has openly declared war against both the government and Christians.
‘Boko Haram has made no secret of the fact that it is deliberately targeting Christians,’ says Release Chief Executive Paul Robinson. ‘Their aims are both political and religious – you have to see the two together. They intend to set up a hard-line Islamic state. And they are likely to redouble their efforts to destabilise Nigeria ahead of next year’s elections.’
Chairing the conference, organised by Release Women, Emma Dipper called on Nigeria to ‘take immediate, decisive and comprehensive measures to protect its vulnerable Christians, while there is still time.’ She also called on Nigeria to ‘root out elements in the security forces that are either ineffective or even complicit in the violence.’
Release International, which serves the persecuted Church worldwide, has launched the No More Sorrow! campaign focused on Nigeria. Release is gathering signatures for a petition, which will be presented to the Nigerian High Commission in London in the autumn.
Details of the No More Sorrow! campaign and petition forms are available from the Release International website: www.releaseinternational.org Release will present the petition to the Nigerian High Commissioner in London.
Release Women aims to connect Christian women across the UK and Ireland. Its annual conference was held on Saturday at All Souls, Langham Place.
Through its international network of missions Release International serves persecuted Christians in more than 30 countries around the world, by: supporting pastors and Christian prisoners, and their families; supplying Christian literature and Bibles; and working for justice.
