West Africa (MNN) — We’ve been tracking political tensions rising in West Africa since Niger’s coup last month. But now, the fuse is lit. Eleven nations in West Africa have agreed to a joint military operation to restore the ousted president of Niger.
The West African regional bloc ECOWAS also rejected a proposal by Niger’s military junta to delay national elections up to three years.
West Africans, and especially Christians, are concerned about extremist groups taking advantage of the moment.
(Photo courtesy of Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke/Pixabay)
Floyd Brobbel with The Voice of the Martyrs Canada says, “A coup creating this instability will just also continue to foster this growth of radicalism. Certainly, it can get a lot of momentum from activities like a coup and so I would expect that you would see more of the same sort of thing happening in the region.”
Terrorist attacks have already been growing in West African countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Nigeria. Christians living in refugee or displacement camps are often marginalized.
Brobbel says, “The relief going to them has not been vast. In fact, they kind of are discriminated against and they’re the last to receive any type of aid in these IDP camps. So certainly there’s a Church under pressure.”
In rumors of war and political upheaval, pray for the Gospel to change hearts in West Africa.
“We need to be on our knees praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters in these countries, but praying that these militants would come to know Christ.”
Learn more about supporting the persecuted Church with VOM Canada.
Header photo of deposed Nigerien President Mohamed Bazou. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)
