Nigeria: #6 Most Dangerous Nation for Christians

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

As we prepare for Sunday’s International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, let’s lift up our brothers and sisters facing extreme violence in Nigeria, ranked #6 on Open Doors’ World Watchlist of most dangerous countries in the world for Christians to live. 

Just these past two months, Fulani militants killed at least 44 Christians, injured dozens more, and displaced hundreds from their homes and farmlands. They also kidnapped a pastor and 30 of his church members.

In addition, Pastor Isa Andrew, chaplain for a Zamfara State Police Command, and his 13-year-old daughter, Grace Isa Andrew, were kidnapped in northwestern Nigeria. Their whereabouts is still unknown. Their captors have threatened to kill them, even after receiving ransom money.

Last year, 8,222 Christians were brutally killed for their faith by Fulani herdsmen and Islamic extremists from January of 2023 to January of 2024, according to the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law.

The report, published earlier this year, counts more than 100,000 Nigerian Christians martyred since 2009, when Boko Haram announced its campaign to wipe out Christians. In addition, tens of thousands of civilian homes were destroyed, more than 18,500 Christian places of worship, and 2,500 Christian and traditional education centers. During the same period, over 59,000 square kilometers of land that belonged to native Christians and non-Muslims were taken over and their inhabitants displaced and expelled.

At least 22,500 Christians were kidnapped by Boko Haram and its affiliates between 2009 and 2014. They also destroyed or set fire to 13,000 churches and 1,500 Christian schools, forcing over 1.3 million Christians to leave, die or choose Islam. (Catholic Herald)

“In much of northern Nigeria, Christians live their lives under the constant threat of attack from Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Fulani militants and criminals who kidnap and murder with few consequences. ISWAP and Boko Haram want to eliminate the Christian presence in Nigeria, and Muslim Fulani militants attack Christian villages specifically. In addition to violent risk, Christians in some of Nigeria’s northern states also live under Shariah law, where they face discrimination and treatment as second-class citizens. Christians who’ve converted from Islam also face rejection from their families and are often pressured to recant their faith in Jesus or face the consequences.

“Nigeria accounts for nearly 80 percent of Christian deaths worldwide, but violence against Christians continues to spread rapidly throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Out of the top ten most violent countries against Christians, this part of Africa retains seven of those: Nigeria, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”

— from Open Doors

Lord, please rescue Pastor Isa, his daughter Grace, and all Christians held captive by Fulani, Boko Haram and other Islamic extremists. Shield them from harm, and provide for them miraculous escapes. Place Your angels all around them, and make them visible to their captors. For families who have lost fields and animals and homes, provide abundantly for their every need, O God. Restore to them what was lost. Raise up a government able to fight such terrible evil, destroying their weapons, ending the violence and punishing criminals.

Change the tide of violence in Nigeria. In this most deadliest place in the world for Christians, we speak LIFE in the name of Jesus! Protect the innocent. Bring every persecutor to their knees before You, as You did Paul, and show them who You are. Haunt their dreams, visit them throughout the day, topple the lies they believe with Truth, and show Yourself strong on behalf of victims in such miraculous ways that every violent offender will tremble in fear, drop their weapons and fists, and repent, surrendering to Your love and salvation. Be a Shield around every believer, guarding them and their families from harm. Empower them by Your Spirit to speak Truth and act in love, joy, peace, forgiveness and faith, with a demonstration of Your power, as You perform miracles and wonders in the sight of their persecutors and leave crowds in awe of You.

Heal the sick, the lame, the wounded, the blind. Raise the dead to life. When guns or other weapons are aimed at Christians, cause them to misfire and drop to the ground. When fists or feet are lifted to beat or kick a believer, freeze them in place so the persecutor is unable to move and must ask the Christian to pray for them first before they are freed. Send shockingly visible angels to surround every believer and step in front of them, blocking enemy attacks.

Turn every curse spoken against a Christian into a blessing instead, and bring such disastrous events into the lives of every persecutor that they know beyond any doubt You are the One who protected that Christian, and that only in surrender to You will those deep in sin find Life.

Move as never before in Nigeria, O God. Awaken every heart to Your love. Bring witchdoctors to faith in You, leading whole villages to burn their fetishes and choose You as Lord. Whenever people channel or sacrifice to demons, disconnect them from the enemy so their rituals don’t work. Break the power of demons over every life, Jesus, so those who have lived in fear will now hunger for You and seek You desperately until they find You. Lift the veil from their eyes, break their bonds, set them free from the enemy’s clutches, so they can see You as You truly are, choose to worship You alone as God, and finally live the abundant life they were created for. John 10:10.

Send in Your armies of Light to bring life where there has been death, peace where there has been war, love where there has been hatred, plenty where there has been drought. Bring this nation to You, O God. Protect the children, and raise up a generation holy unto You of preachers and missionaries who will take Your Good News into every dark corner of Africa and beyond, penetrating the darkness with Light and changing lives forever with Your love.

Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through giving a donation, shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, praying for them or inviting them to speak at your church, retreat or other event, click the buttons below:

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