More than 900 churches have been destroyed in Nigeria as a reported war on Christians continues at the hands of Islamic radical group Boko Haram.
The youth wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) reported the “carnage” is “not accidental” and is intended to drive all Christians from the northern part of the country.
Currently the roughly 180 million people of Nigeria are equally divided between Muslims and Christians, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
The overwhelming majority of northern Nigeria identifies as Muslim, The Christian Post reported, and in that area, Boko Haram — which aligns itself with the Islamic State — has been slaughtering Christians, raiding villages, kidnapping women and children and forcing victims to become suicide bombers.
CAN called on the government to step up its protection of Christians and International Christian Concern (ICC), a persecution watchdog group, shared CAN’s viewpoint.
“Christians continue to be the main and constant target of Islamic radicals like Boko Haram and Fulani militants without any hope of ever being protected or for the authorities to bring justice,” ICC said in a note, referring also to the Fulani herdsmen, a different Islamic radical group that reportedly killed more than 800 Christians and moderate Muslims in the second half of 2016.
Some Christian leaders in the area, such as CAN Chairman Diamond Emuobor, have encouraged Christians to “buy a sword” and protect themselves.
“Christians should defend themselves and he who has no sword, should sell his coat and buy one to defend himself,” Emuobor said, according to the Post.
“We are all human beings. Nobody should catch you like a snail and slaughter because you believe in Jesus Christ.” (TAB)
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