Nigeria: Fulani herdsmen conflict has growing religious dimension – BBC

Nigeria: Fulani herdsmen conflict has growing religious dimension – BBC
Following the shooting dead of two Catholic priests and over a dozen parishioners at a church in Nigeria’s Middle Belt last month, the BBC has visited the village and spoken to survivors. Fr. Joseph Gor and Fr. Felix Tyolaha were killed during the morning Mass at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, in . . . Read More

Nigerian Christians ask UK to help bring ‘healing, forgiveness and reconciliation’

Nigerian Christians ask UK to help bring ‘healing, forgiveness and reconciliation’
Nigerian Christian leaders met with the British High Commissioner to Nigeria this week to ask for help in establishing a Truth, Peace and Reconciliation Commission to bring “healing, forgiveness and reconciliation to Nigeria”. The National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), which met with Paul Arkwright in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on . . . Read More

Trump tells Buhari: ‘We cannot allow Christians to be murdered’

Trump tells Buhari: ‘We cannot allow Christians to be murdered’
US President Donald Trump decried the killings of Christians in Nigeria as he met with the country’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, in Washington yesterday (30 April). Nigeria has been plagued by violence attributed to Fulani herdsmen in the Middle Belt and northeast. Benue state has been particularly affected, with attacks happening . . . Read More

Nigeria: pressure on Buhari to act increases after latest massacre

Nigeria: pressure on Buhari to act increases after latest massacre
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari – criticised for his lukewarm attitude towards the Fulani herdsmen held responsible for numerous attacks in the country – has come under more pressure to take decisive action following the latest massacre at a Catholic church in the Middle Belt state of Benue. On Tuesday (24 . . . Read More

Ongoing religious freedom challenges in the Commonwealth

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May welcomed Heads of State of the Commonwealth member states at Windsor Castle, west of London, on 20 April 2018. (Photo: JACK TAYLOR/AFP/Getty Images)
A new report on religious freedom in Commonwealth member states says minorities in India, Malaysia and Nigeria have the least freedom to practise their faith. Using data from the Pew Global Religious Futures Project, the new report by the Council of Christians and Jews noted that Christianity is the largest . . . Read More

Commonwealth worst offenders urged to face up to poor levels of religious freedom

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari received Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at Nigeria's High Commission in London on 11 April 2018. (Photo: Facebook)
A charity that supports persecuted Christians has urged Commonwealth heads of government meeting in England next week to address poor levels of religious liberty in their countries. The charity Open Doors warned that unless representatives of the 53 Commonwealth nations “explicitly include[ed] the right to freedom of religion or belief . . . Read More

Nigerian president assures UK archbishop of efforts to secure release of Christian girl

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari received Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at Nigeria's High Commission in London on 11 April 2018. (Photo: Facebook)
Following a meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari has said his government is working “quietly” to secure the release of a teenage Christian girl kidnapped by Boko Haram. Archbishop Justin Welby, as well as Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Nigerian Archbishop Dr Josiah . . . Read More

Nigerian Christian who lost husband in Fulani attack: ‘I returned to encourage other women to do the same’

Nigerian Christian who lost husband in Fulani attack: ‘I returned to encourage other women to do the same’
Shaforon village in north-east Nigeria’s Adamawa state is all but deserted. Residents fled to the bigger cities of Numan and the state capital, Yola, when the village was attacked by Fulani herdsmen in December. Hanatu Solomon, whose husband died during the attack, is one of the few to have returned. . . . Read More