The persecution of Christians is a rapidly escalating crisis throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. One of the most volatile countries is Nigeria, which is also among Africa’s wealthiest nations. Islamic presence in Nigeria has been increasingly gaining power and influence.
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A recent article from Faithwire shows that Nigerian colleges are reportedly becoming more radical in their mistreatment of Christian students:
“Sean Nelson, legal counsel for ADF International, warns of dangerous, anti-Christian bias on these campuses. ‘The situation in Nigeria, just generally, is a very, very difficult situation for Christians, in particular, especially in the northern part of the country,’ Nelson said. ‘Nigeria [is] the largest democracy in Africa. … It’s roughly equally divided between Christians and Muslims, with the northern portion of the country being predominantly Muslim.’”
According to Nelson, two universities have now gone as far as prohibiting Christian students from worshipping or fellowshipping in any way on campus. Muslim students, however, still freely use these college facilities for their religious gatherings. The government has turned a blind eye to these injustices that clearly violate the Nigerian Constitution. The fact that one of these colleges is a state university while the other is a federal establishment shows how Nigeria’s government has long been compromised when it comes to Islam’s expansion within the nation. Only time will tell if Nigeria’s Christian population will be able to appeal to their lawmakers and reverse this onslaught of extremism.
In the meantime, kidnappings, killings, and unjust discrimination continue — and most of the world continues to ignore that reality. Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern, which tracks Christian persecution on a global scale, says it best: “Most Americans have no idea what’s going on in Nigeria, but imagine this: for the last 20 years, probably up to about 100,000 Christians have been murdered. Three-and-a-half million Christians, their lands have been taken from them, and the government’s pretty much done nothing.”
Here in America, we’ve seen similar limitations placed upon Christian student organizations and speakers. The Department of Education recently announced its intent to rescind regulations protecting religious organizations on public colleges and campuses. Those protections are from President Trump’s Executive Order 13864, titled Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, Accountability at College Universities, implemented in part to stop suppression of conservative and/or Christian students’ rights to speak, assemble, and worship publicly.
Do pro-Palestine campus organizations in America foreshadow an intent of Islamic aggression? Might this be the opportune time to withhold and even strike federal funding for organizations that keep up an assault on America’s freedoms while supporting their own radicalism?
Our Father, raise up Your almighty standard against this flood of terrorism that keeps coming against our Nigerian Christian family. Bring peace to Nigeria; bring salvation, and safety, and security. Usher in a new era of peace and life there through the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.
Please pray now for our Christian brothers and sisters in Nigeria. And share your prayer below.
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