christian persecution

Emergency Call to Prayer – Nigeria Elections and Christian Persecution

I received a emergency message from my friend, Gabriel, in Nigeria, requesting prayer. Gabriel and I are on a Zoom call each Saturday with a group of guys from around the world, who come together in the name of Jesus, for prayer and encouraging fellowship.

Nigeria is having its presidential election on Saturday. The current president, Muhammadu Buhari, is a muslim who has allowed the widespread, deadly persecution of Christians.  In fact, when President Donald Trump met with Buhari in 2018, he told Buhari, “We are deeply concerned by religious violence in Nigeria including the burning of churches and the killing and persecution of Christians. It’s a horrible story,”

Buhari must go, and in his place a leader who will stop the horrid violence against Christians must be elected.

Now, here’s the message from Gabriel:

“… the Nigerian presidential elections come up this Saturday, the 25th February. Which means we may not be in attendance on the call. There are very valid fears of uprisings whichever way the elections go. If the Christian and most qualified candidate wins, ‘wild fires from the Islamic north may sweep through the south’. If any of the other Muslim candidates win, Nigeria may erupt in religious crisis. Already, panic buying to stock up supplies are currently ongoing as we speak. Even churches, from the pulpits, encouraged members to be prepared this past Sunday. However, I propose a day of fasting and prayer before that day…”

It is very difficult for us in the West to grasp the tension in Nigeria. Nevertheless, please take some time to pray for our brothers and sisters in the country.

 

Prayer Alert: Muslim Converts to Christ Arrested

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on October 13, 12 Christian men from Darfur were arbitrarily arrested by officers from the Sudan National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) for mingling with the local Muslim community. Reverend Kuwa Shamal confirmed, “The arrests were done at Nyala market while the young men were interacting with Islam adherents, building rapport for witnessing, when Sudan’s security authorities surrounded them and led them to the police station, handcuffed.”

Darfur is a predominantly Muslim, war-torn region. The constant conflict between the Arab Muslims and Christians led to the secession of South Sudan in 2011, after which Sudan pressed harder for adopting stronger Islamic policies.

Commenting on the incident, a lawyer who represents Christians prosecuted in Sudanese courts, expressed, “Until now, the Christians have not been asked what was happening or given a chance to explain what they were doing. This is a total breach of the law of the land that gives freedom of worship and sharing of one’s faith. It is also unlawful to detain anyone without trial.”

Adding to the matter, Rev. Kuwa said, “Some of the arrested men are disciples that I baptized in 2015 when they left Islam and converted to Christianity. The detainees have been doing a recommendable work of sharing the Good News in Darfur, and we pray for their immediate and unconditional release.”

Christians in Sudan who convert from Islam often face discrimination and hostility as a result of their faith. They are considered apostates who deserve the death penalty, according to radical Muslims throughout Sudan.