Pastor Ishaku Kadah and his wife Selina were no strangers to persecution for their Christian faith.
Living in northern Nigeria, a Muslim-dominated region where incidents of harassment and violence against Christians were common, the couple had already experienced the loss of their church building to suspected extremists. But they refused to be driven from their home and their flock, even in the face of danger.
So when rumours of an impending attack on their village began to circulate, Kadah and Selina did not panic. Though some villagers fled, the couple remained steadfast in their commitment to their community and their faith. But the attack never came, and it seemed as though their fears had been unfounded.
Tragically, the following day, unidentified men abducted the Kadahs from their homes and brutally murdered them. Their burnt bodies were found the next day in a nearby bush. For the Kadahs, their commitment to Christ had ultimately cost them their lives.
In Nigeria, where the population is almost equally divided between Muslims and Christians, radical Islamists are determined to eradicate Christianity. But for Ishaku and Selina, the message of Christ was too important to keep silent. They knew that the people of Nigeria needed the hope, truth, and love of Christ more than ever, and they were willing to pay the ultimate price to share that message.
As the apostle James wrote, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” For Ishaku Kadah and his wife Selina, their steadfast faith in the face of persecution has earned them that crown.
“I will not run away. I am ready to take a stand.” —Saratu Turundu, a single thirty-five-year-old who loved the children she taught in Sunday school. She was killed for her faith in Christ by a fanatical Muslim mob in Nigeria.
