Religious violence explodes in Jos, Nigeria

December 3rd, 2008

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By Elizabeth Kendal
World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC)
Special to ASSIST News Service

AUSTRALIA - Southern Nigeria is predominantly Christian whilst northern Nigeria is predominantly Muslim. An ethnic-religious fault-line runs through the center. Rising Islamic fundamentalism and zeal spurred on by the legitimization of Sharia Law in the northern states has caused persecution of Christians to escalate in the north. It has also led to devastating sectarian conflicts across the religious fault-line middle belt where many towns are almost equally divided between Muslims and Christians.

Jos, the capital city of Plateau State in central Nigeria, sits atop this religious fault-line. When local officials refused to publish the results of council elections held Thursday 27 November, rumurs circulated that the Christian-dominated People’s Democratic Party had won a majority of the seats. Muslims accused Christians of rigging the result and, propelled by incitement from their mosques, went on an anti-Christian rampage / jihad, attacking churches, Christians and Christian properties. At least 16 churches have been burnt and four pastors are confirmed killed. Several mosques were also burned. On Saturday officials announced that the PDP had indeed won 16 of the 17 seats, defeating the Muslim-dominated pro-Sharia All Nigeria Peoples Party.

International secular media are reporting that Muslim-Christian clashes have left up to 400 Muslims dead, but fail to report that the armed Muslim rioters died in clashes with the police and security forces who were struggling to restore order. The number of Christian fatalities is as yet unknown but it is believed to be over 100. Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports that of the 500 Muslims to be arrested, most are outsiders who arrived days in advance and some were wearing fake military uniforms. Local Christian leaders believe the violence was preplanned and that the Muslims had been waiting for an excuse to unleash it. There is real danger that anti-Christian violence could spread as Muslims seek revenge for the large Muslim death toll. The misleading and provocative reportage from swaths of international secular media makes this situation especially dangerous.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR

  • The Christians in Jos who have lost their churches, their pastors or other loved ones: may they know the comfort of Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3-5); may they have inner healing from the Spirit (Isaiah 57:15); may their merciful heavenly Father deliver them from evil (Matthew 6:13) such as the danger of Islamic jihad and from the destructiveness of a bitter, unforgiving heart. ‘He restores my soul.’ Psalm 23:3a ESV
  • God to infiltrate President Umaru Yar Adua’s administration with heavenly wisdom and strength to tackle rising Islamic fundamentalism and the destructive intolerance and violence that it produces. (Proverbs 21:1)
  • The Holy Spirit to flood the free and more prosperous churches of southern Nigeria with selfless love and a zeal for mission that compels them to witness to northern Muslims and serve their persecuted northern brethren. (Isaiah 58)

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