The LORD Is My Support
Islamic Extremism : The Main Cause of Refugee Outbreaks
Nigeria is one of the largest countries in West Africa with a population of 220 million people.
Many people in northeastern Nigeria have been affected by poverty, environmental degradation, and, most significantly, violence perpetrated by the Islamic extremist militant group Boko Haram. Although Boko Haram had been present in the region for years, it gained international notoriety in 2014 when it kidnapped 276 schoolgirls in Chibok. The incident was a precursor to even greater violence, and since then, the number of displaced people from there has skyrocketed to 2.6 million.
Furthermore, the violence carried out by armed groups, which was initially regarded as “Nigeria’s problem,” has now expanded to the Lake Chad Basin, affecting northern Cameroon, western Chad, Niger, and southeastern and northeastern Nigeria.
Among Nigeria’s internally displaced population, 12.6% have fled due to communal conflicts, 2.4% due to natural disasters, and a staggering 85% due to violence caused by Boko Haram. In Maiduguri, a city in northeastern Nigeria, a long-term solution may require the establishment of an urban settlement capable of accommodating the 2.6 million refugees in the region.
The Lake Chad Basin region continues to struggle with a complex humanitarian emergency. More than 3.2 million people are displaced, including 2.9 million in northeastern Nigeria and 684,000 refugees in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.
This crisis has been exacerbated by conflict-driven food insecurity and severe malnutrition, reaching critical levels across all four affected countries—Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger. Despite government efforts and international humanitarian aid, an estimated 12.5 million people in the Lake Chad Basin are in urgent need of assistance, while 5.3 million are experiencing severe food insecurity.
The protection of refugees is increasingly complicated not only by socioeconomic vulnerabilities but also by deteriorating security conditions. Communities in the Sahel region are struggling with chronic poverty, extreme climate conditions, recurring infectious diseases, weak infrastructure, and limited access to essential services.
The Nigerian military, alongside a Multinational Joint Task Force(MNJTF), successfully reclaimed several areas previously controlled by Boko Haram. However, these gains have been undermined by the increasing frequency of Boko Haram attacks in neighboring countries.
Although some internally displaced Nigerians and refugees have returned to accessible areas, the crisis remains severe.
》Scripture Prayer
(Psalm 18:4-7, 13-19,NIV)
4 The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry.
13 The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Let us praise and bless the Lord, who gives us hope and strength to live when we fix our eyes on Him in every situation. Let us pray that the Nigerian refugees will be delivered from the cords of death and the torrents of destruction, and that they will seek the Lord and cry out to Him so they may encounter God, their ever-present support.
2. Let us ask the Lord to send witnesses who will proclaim the gospel to the refugees in Nigeria. Let us pray that the refugees in Nigeria will have open hearts and ears to accept the blessed Jesus Christ as their Savior when they hear the gospel. May they experience the fullness of joy in walking with the Lord, even in the midst of suffering and trials.
3. Let us proclaim that Jesus is the Savior for all people, at all times, and in every situation! Let us pray that every refugee who comes to Jesus will experience His boundless love and grace. May they entrust all their burdens to the Lord and move forward in faith, surrendering every struggle in their lives to Him.
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