Church welcomes US designation of Boko Haram as Foreign Terrorist Organisation

Church welcomes US designation of Boko Haram as Foreign Terrorist Organisation
One of the major organisations representing Christians in Nigeria has welcomed the US State Department’s announcement on Nov 13 that it has designated Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist group (FTO). The Department also classified its splinter group Ansaru as an FTO. Boko Haram is believed to have links to Al-Qaeda . . . Read More

Boko Haram under investigation for crimes against humanity

Boko Haram under investigation for crimes against humanity
At least 1,200 people have been killed in the last four years in Northern Nigeria by the militant Islamist group Boko Haram, according to a preliminary investigation by the International Criminal Court. The Court’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said on Monday (August 5) the ICC is investigating Boko Haram for . . . Read More

Former Nigerian Governor allows ‘under-age’ marriage loophole into Constitution

Former Nigerian Governor allows ‘under-age’ marriage loophole into Constitution
The first Governor to introduce sharia law into a Nigerian State (Zamfara, in 2000), now a Senator, has succeeded in stopping the removal of a clause from Nigeria’s Constitution, which critics say remains a loophole through which marriage of under-age girls remains possible under sharia law. It happened during the . . . Read More

Is conflict in Nigeria really about persecution of Christians by radical Muslims?

Is conflict in Nigeria really about persecution of Christians by radical Muslims?
St Rita’s Catholic Church in Kaduna, north-central Nigeria, after a suicide bomb attack in October 2012.World Watch Monitor   Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan was reported last week to have said that statistics show that more Muslims than Christians have been killed by Boko Haram. Speaking at his Presidential villa in . . . Read More

Goodluck Jonathan’s amnesty gamble

Goodluck Jonathan’s amnesty gamble
A month ago, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said he would not negotiate with the militant Islamic sect Boko Haram because they were “ghosts,” faceless adversaries who would not step forward. That was then. This Wednesday, the President is scheduled to formally inaugurate a committee to explore amnesty for Boko Haram . . . Read More

Kano bus bomb prompts religious leaders to joint call for urgent measures

Kano bus bomb prompts religious leaders to joint call for urgent measures
A car bomb attack in a Christian enclave of Kano, the largest city in mainly-Muslim northern Nigeria, has heightened religious and ethnic tensions throughout the country. At least 25 people have been killed and at least 60 others injured, following the 18th March suicide bomb attack in a bus station . . . Read More

Widest church grouping raises funds for Boko Haram’s almost 800 victims during 2012

Widest church grouping raises funds for Boko Haram’s almost 800 victims during 2012
The most dangerous country for a Christian to live during 2012 was, arguably, Nigeria. That’s what research for the 2013 edition of the World Watch List shows up: it’s produced by the global Christian organisation Open Doors, whose researchers monitor the persecution of Christians worldwide. “Between November 2011 and October . . . Read More

Nigeria – twin suicide attacks on Kaduna church, after future Archbishop of Canterbury visits

Nigeria – twin suicide attacks on Kaduna church, after future Archbishop of Canterbury visits
Amidst continuing attacks on Churches and Christian communities in northern Nigeria, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair has launched a faith-based programme to promote religious tolerance in the country. Eleven people were killed and thirty others injured in two successive suicide attacks on Sunday, November 25 at . . . Read More