Tag: Nigeria

Ongoing religious freedom challenges in the Commonwealth

April 20, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country Bangladesh, Brunei, Commonwealth, India, Justin Welby, Kenya, London, Lord Alton, Malaysia, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Religious freedom, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Theresa May

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

97 missing Chibok girls feared dead

April 16, 2018 Nigeria Borno, Chibok girls, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria

Pictures of 82 girls freed in 2017; 112 are still un-accounted for

After relatives and activists commemorated on Saturday the 4th anniversary of the Chibok girls’ kidnapping, there are now fears that many of over 100 girls still missing will never return home. Of the 276 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram on 14 April 2014, 57 escaped, 107 were rescued or . . . Read More

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

April 13, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country Al-Shabaab, Asia Bibi, Bangladesh, Boko Haram, Brunei, Commonwealth, Delta State, Islamic extremism, Justin Welby, Kenya, Leah Sharibu, London, Lord Alton, Malaysia, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria, Pakistan, Religious freedom, Sri Lanka

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

Chibok abductions: ‘We are bitter, 112 girls are still in the hands of Boko Haram’

April 13, 2018 Nigeria Boko Haram, Chibok girls, Christian Association of Nigeria, Nigeria

Saturday 14 April will mark the fourth anniversary of the abduction of 276 girls from a secondary boarding school in Nigeria’s north-eastern town of Chibok. At least 165 of them were believed to be Christian, according to a list of names and a statement released by the Christian Association of . . . Read More

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

April 12, 2018 Nigeria Chibok girls, Commonwealth, Dapchi, Delta State, Fulani herdsmen, Islamic State, Justin Welby, Leah Sharibu, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria

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

Kidnapped Leah sends message home

April 6, 2018 Nigeria Boko Haram, Children, Dapchi, Leah Sharibu, Nigeria

Leah Sharibu, 14, was abducted by Boko Haram on 19 February 2018. (Photo from family)

Leah Sharibu, the Nigerian Christian girl still being held captive by Boko Haram, reportedly asked her released friends to pass her mother a message, which read: “My mother you should not be disturbed. I know it is not easy missing me, but I want to assure you that I am . . . Read More

Nigerian Christian schoolgirl ‘escaped’, only to be sent back to Boko Haram

April 4, 2018 Nigeria Boko Haram, Dapchi, ECWA, Fulani herdsmen, Islamic extremism, Kidnapping, Leah Sharibu, Nigeria, Religious freedom, Yobe

The only Christian among the 110 Nigerian schoolgirls abducted last month by Boko Haram ran away from her kidnappers but was caught and brought back three days later, according to fellow captives, reports the UK’s Guardian newspaper. Leah Sharibu, 14, and two other girls walked for three days and, hungry and exhausted, . . . Read More

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

March 29, 2018 Nigeria Adamawa, Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria

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

104 Dapchi girls back home, but fate of Christian unknown

March 26, 2018 Nigeria Abuja, Boko Haram, Chibok girls, Dapchi, Education, Leah Sharibu, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria, Yobe

(From left) Zahra Bukar, 13, Fatima Abdu, 14, Fatima Abdulkarim, 15 and Yagana Mustapha, 15, were released by Boko Haram after they were abducted from their school in Dapchi, in February 2018. (Photo: AMINU ABUBAKAR/AFP/Getty Images)

The more than 100 schoolgirls released four days ago by Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria were returned to their families yesterday (25 March), the BBC reports. Immediately after their release they were flown to the capital, Abuja, for medical and security screening, and to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari. Meanwhile . . . Read More

Nigerian kidnappers have released 101 girls. Nine have not returned; one of them is a Christian.

March 21, 2018 Nigeria Boko Haram, Dapchi, Leah Sharibu, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria, Yobe

Of the 110 Nigerian girls kidnapped 19 Feb. by militants suspected to be affiliated with the violent Islamist group Boko Haram, 101 were unexpectedly released 21 March. Of the remaining nine, five are reported to have died during their captivity. And the other four? One of them is a Christian . . . Read More

Catching Our Eye