Militant Fulani herdsmen were reported to have conducted the attacks on the farming communities. “This is the risk to farm as a Christian,” an eyewitness said, “going to the farm is like committing suicide.”
Source: International Christian Concern
Nigeria is the biggest killing ground of Christians today. Christian farming villages are repeatedly attacked in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region and tens of thousands have died over the last 20 years. In addition, hundreds of thousands of Christians have lost everything and are living as displaced people.
“More Christians will die of hunger in Nigeria if nothing is done to stop farm destruction by Fulani Muslims,”
another local source said. “They want us out of our land… the government is silent, not saying the truth because the president is a Fulani Muslim. Farms are destroyed daily without reporting… nobody is saying anything about it.”
Outside of the Miango community, in the village of Rikwechogu, suspected herdsmen came at night and destroyed over 16.5 million Nigerian Naira ($55,000) worth of farms, just prior to harvesting. Multiple homes were also burned down.
“I was at Rikwechongu earlier today [11 July] to witness for myself the magnitude of the farm destruction in the village by herder assailants,” reported a local contact, “I tell you what my eyes saw is devastating and a total act of inhumanity – more than 50 houses destroyed belonging to 35 families.”
“This same community has been completely destroyed four times within the span of six years,” He added. “The Nigerian government is not willing to help us,” a Rikwechogu community leader said, “We are tired of receiving no compensation.”
Let us pray.
- Please pray for Christian communities around Nigeria that are suffering from the devastation of militant groups intent on driving them from their ancestral lands.
- Pray for the groups responsible for the violence – whether Boko Haram, Islamic State, or Fulani militants.
- Pray too for the Nigerian government to take action in protecting vulnerable communities and bringing perpetrators to justice.
Lord please comfort and relieve the suffering of your people in Nigeria. Would you bring their attackers to repentance and would you help those in authority to do what is right in protecting their citizens. Amen.
So devastating.
Praying
Our Almighty Father in Heaven,
We praise You, Sovereign Lord, over all the earth, because we know you watch over the righteous and Your ears are attentive to our prayers.
In the midst of this violence and destruction, and pain, hear our prayer, that You would bless your suffering people, every single precious one, with an other worldly peace and confidence that enables them to stand firm on the truth of Your Word and in the knowledge that their faithfulness even unto death will be greatly rewarded. That the glory they will experience beyond this life will far outweigh their pain and suffering.
Enable them Lord, not to fear those that can kill the body, and after that can do no more, but to fear You alone.
“LORD, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion, and there rejoice in your salvation.” Psalm 9:13-14
We are challenged, by the call to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us with such hate and cruelty. But Lord, because you ask us to, we do pray for those enemies, that eyes would be opened, and hearts sickened by their own acts of violence, and that Your Holy Spirit would draw them away from evil and transform their hearts for good, that their zeal would instead become an all consuming passion for Christ. Nothing is too hard for you Lord!
In the Powerful and Precious Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.