Boy, 10, shot dead as many die in renewed violence

Two Christians, including a 10-year-old boy, have been killed in an attack on a Christian community leader in Kaduna state.

In the early hours of 21 August, 10 assailants armed with guns and cutlasses attacked the home of Andrew Allahmagani, district head of Fadiya Bakut village, Bajju district. "They moved to the quarters of my brother, where they shot and killed my nephew, Fidelis Ishaku, and shot and injured my mother," said Andrew.

Andrew's mother, Laraba Ishaku (70), survived after receiving hospital treatment. A Christian security guard, Zaman Kaki (52), was also killed in the attack.

According to local sources, the attack was carried out by armed Muslims from Niger who entered Kaduna state to help Islamists there invade Christian communities. Niger, 97 per cent Muslim, has seen a rise in Islamic extremists groups in recent years.

In central Nigeria's Plateau state, sources report that 24 Christians died at the hands of Muslim extremists in August. On 15 August, nine members of a Christian family were killed in Heipang village, and on 21 August attacks in Kwi, Loton and Jwol left six more Christians dead. On 4 September another 16 people were killed in attacks on the Christian villages of Babale and Dabwak, also in Plateau state, including eight members of a Christian family - a father, mother and their six children.

Local sources claimed that Nigerian army soldiers either participated in the assaults or accompanied the assailants. Plateau Governor Jonah Jang called for the immediate withdrawal of the Nigerian army because, he said, "Muslims in the army have taken sides with Islamist assailants...I am convinced that the armed forces are being polluted with the religious crisis in the country".

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Source: Compass Direct, BBC

Please pray:

1. For comfort and restoration for the friends and relatives of those killed. Pray for grace to forgive their persecutors
2. For Open Doors staff helping victims of the violence
3. That Dr Dalhatu Tafida and Nigeria's President, Goodluck Jonathan, will respond positively to the many emails and letters sent by Open Doors' supporters.