“Persecuted, but not abandoned and destroyed”
[Oct.04. 2021]A Nigerian Christian leader was injured and died in a mob attack. According to British Christian Today on Sep 27 (local time), the victim, Pastor Yohanna Shuaibu, is the Chair of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the Soumaila Local Government Area of Kano state.
The extremists who mistakenly believed Shuaibu had been involved in the recent conversion of a young Muslim attacked his home in Massu village. He died on the 23rd a day after the attack.
He had already been warned that his life was in danger and had taken refuge in a neighboring village with his family but then returned to Massu the next day to evacuate the students of the school for indigenous Hausa Christian children he had helped to raise funds for.
He and his family reportedly returned to their home just hours before the mob attacked them. His wife and children were able to escape, but Pastor Yohanna Shuaibu suffered multiple machete wounds throughout the attack and eventually died. The attackers also burned down his house, the church, and the school building.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) expressed its condolences, saying, “Pastor Shuaibu was an inspirational figure who participated in various projects beside local schools.”
During his lifetime, he oversaw the raising of funds for boreholes for Christian communities who were denied access to government-provided water sources. He also refurbished a faulty water source at the local mosque to foster peace with Muslims.
CSW’s founder and President Mervin Thomas, expressed his condolences over the death of Pastor Shuaibu, urging religious peace and unity to the Nigerian government and political leaders.
He said, “Our hearts and prayers are with the wife, children, church, and community of the deceased who mourn the loss of a husband, father, and leader. The community will miss Pastor Shuaibu very much,” “We urge the police to spare no effort in locating and prosecuting those responsible for his death.”
He added, “The Federal and State authorities should take more actions to tackle the societal tensions that facilitate regular outbreaks of religiously motivated violence. We also call on them to develop civic education programs that promote interreligious harmony and equal citizenship, and to model these qualities consistently both in word and deed.”
Persecution of Christians in Nigeria has been going on for over 20 years. As of the end of July 2021, more than 3,400 Christians had been killed by Islamic extremists in Nigeria, and at least 3,000 have been kidnapped, the Christian Post reported.
However, the government was consistent in responding to all terrorism directed at Christians, as if it were promoting terrorism. As a result, it became the third country most affected by terrorism in the world according to the Global Terrorism Index, and more than 22,000 people died from terrorism between 2001 and 2019 (Source: Gospel Prayer News, Christian Today Edited).
Persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:9-10)
Dear God, we lift up Pastor Shuaibu to You, who was martyred in the attack by a mob, and pray that the life of Jesus springs up all over Nigeria. Please comfort the bereaved families with the steadfast love of the Cross. We pray that through their beliefs, those who commit arson and murder would find salvation through the gospel and that the government will come up with measures to resolve social tensions and protect those exposed to abduction and terrorism.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
