Nigeria (MNN) — While hundreds of abducted Nigerian school boys are now safe, believers are on ‘full alert’ following last week’s threat from Boko Haram. The terrorists released a three-minute video promising more attacks on Christians as Christmas Day approaches.
“Where the Church grows, there is often a pretty strong or violent backlash,” Floyd Brobbel with Voice of the Martyrs Canada says.
“Christianity would be one of the greater threats to Boko Haram because it is shown to bring many people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.”
On Friday, more than 300 schoolboys returned home to anxious parents in northwest Nigeria. While Boko Haram took credit for the December 11 kidnapping, analysts say it was the work of a loosely-affiliated gang.
Boko Haram
(Photo courtesy of Think Defence via Flickr)
Regardless, Boko Haram remains a severe threat. The Islamic terrorists surfaced in 2009 and have killed more than 37,500 people since 2011.
“They (Boko Haram) will attack any institution that would not propagate their religion [or] coincide with their goals and strategies,” Brobbel says.
“They’re a strict form of Islam, and they want to see the caliphate brought in.”
Praise God for the abducted students’ safe return, and keep Nigerian Christians in your prayers. Pray they will keep sharing the hope and love of Jesus despite Boko Haram’s threats.
“People in society, government officials, need to be putting pressure on the Nigerian government and officials to do all they can [to stop Boko Haram],” Brobbel says.
Ask the Lord to protect His followers from terrorist violence.
“Where people live in darkness and the light of the Gospel shines forth, it attracts many people. This is a threat to Boko Haram.”
Indiscriminate attacks by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria are causing immense suffering. A violent campaign is being waged against innocent civilians who are being killed, chased, enrolled or enslaved. (Photo, caption ©EC/ECHO/Anouk Delafortrie via Flickr)
