“The Tragic Reality for Nigerian Christians: More than One Believer Killed Every Two Hours”

In Africa there are more Christians than anywhere else in the world and, within the continent, the country with the most Christians is Nigeria. According to the Research Center Pew Researchthere are more than 87 million Christians and that number is expected to skyrocket in the coming decades.

However, according to the most recent Open Doors investigation, more than 5,000 Nigerian believers were killed for their faith in the course of 12 months. That means more than 13 Christians killed on average every day.

That is to say, more than one believer killed every two hours.

And it’s not just about murder. During the same period, more than 4,700 Christians in Nigeria were also kidnapped for following Jesus and at least 1,000 believers were raped, sexually assaulted or sexually harassed for their faith. The Christians were forced to flee and hide; more than 10,000 in Nigeria during the reporting period. Additionally, more than 10,000 followers of Jesus suffered physical or mental abuse because of their faith.

These numbers are staggering and should bring us to our knees, but every death is not just a number.

The faith behind the numbers

Although these statistics are informative and startling, behind each one is a story, a story like Ayuba’s*. Ayuba is a young Nigerian whose village was attacked by Boko Haram, the infamous Islamic extremist group. He and his brothers fled, but were separated from his father.

“The next morning, everything was silent,” says Ayuba, who spent the night of the attack hiding in the bush with his brothers. “When we got closer to our house, I could see three bodies on the ground. I recognized my father by his clothes. I went to his side, knelt down and prayed ».

Ayuba’s father was one of nine Christians massacred by Islamic extremists that night in northeastern Nigeria. The militants had asked Ayuba’s father if he was a Muslim or a Christian. He refused to hide his faith in Jesus and replied, “Christian.” They beheaded him on the spot.

Ayuba later discovered that his own name was on a Boko Haram kill list, and he had to flee his village.

This is the reality facing our brothers and sisters in some parts of Nigeria. The Christian killed every two hours in Nigeria could be someone like Ayuba’s father. Or it could be someone like Agnes, whose friends were kidnapped and killed. Or it could be a believer like Hajaratu, a Christian who lost her daughter while she was fleeing from Fulani militants.

There are countless stories behind the statistics. Each person killed was a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a friend and a colleague. Each leaves behind a mourning community.

This should be enough to break the Church in Nigeria. And that is the objective of the enemy: to take advantage of every opportunity to defeat the Church of God. It would be easy to assume that the dark is winning in Nigeria.

But that assumption is wrong.

A violent place, a resilient church

The Church in Nigeria—and throughout sub-Saharan Africa—is growing and resilient. There are courageous Christians who make sure that the Gospel is lived out even in difficult circumstances. Ayuba, the young man who lost his father, is a perfect example of this truth. The murder of his father consumed him with rage and he only wanted revenge. But he found healing and hope at the Shalom Open Doors Center, a post-traumatic care center.

He sums up what he learned in one word: “Sorry,” he says with a smile. “I decided to let go of anger and have peace. I learned to leave everything at the feet of Jesus.

This is the reality for God’s people in Nigeria: appalling violence and the hope of Jesus.

But Nigerian Christians need to know that they are not alone. We have to respond to the chilling violence affecting African believers. That is why Open Doors is launching a four-year campaign to mobilize and unite the global Church in solidarity with its brothers and sisters in Nigeria and throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Our brothers and sisters are resilient and courageous, growing the church in the midst of violence, and our vision is to equip them to continue to stand up for Jesus, come what may.

And we need your help.

The best way to support our family in sub-Saharan Africa is simply to pray. Ayuba explains why it is so vital: “First of all, I would tell people to pray, because without prayer nothing will work. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the prayers.” The Bible tells us over and over again that prayer can change everything, and the church in Nigeria needs your prayer support.

If you want to go one step further, you can send prayers of encouragement directly to Nigeria through this special prayer challenge.

Nigeria is the most violent place in the world for Christians, but it is not a lost cause. Thanks to your support and the prayers of believers around the world, Nigerian Christians are not alone. The statistics are overwhelming and the stories devastating, but God’s hope is on the march and can never be stopped.