The Islamist group Boko Haram has been terrorising Nigerian Christians for many years now. The Islamists are determined to eradicate Christianity from Nigeria. Despite this violent persecution Christianity, and Catholicism in particular, continues to grow in Nigeria.

By ACN Staff

The steadfast faith of the Nigerian Church in face of attack by violent Islamists is a true inspiration. On Christmas Eve, the Islamist group Boko Haram launched an attack that left 11 Nigerian Christians dead. The attack took place in the Christian village of Pemi, in the north-eastern Nigerian state of Borno. A priest was also abducted during the attack. A Christian village in the neighbouring Adamawa state was also attacked during the Christmas period, with many buildings being destroyed but thankfully there were no fatalities.  Pemi is located 20 km away from Chibok, where Boko Haram kidnapped 200 schoolgirls in 2014.

This is not the first time that Islamists have attacked Christians during Christmas in Nigeria. On Christmas Day 2019, the Islamic State West Africa Province beheaded 10 Christians. On Christmas Eve of the same year, Boko Haram launched an attack that killed 7 people. In the lead up to Christmas 2020 there were a large number of attacks. On 28 November 2020, Boko Haram killed 110 people during an attack in Borno state. On 11 December, they kidnapped 330 children in Katsina state in the northwest of Nigeria. The children were only released after a gun battle.

The human rights group Intesociety has estimated that Boko Haram has killed approximately 1200 Christians since 2015. As Tertullian said 1800 years ago: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church”. Boko Haram’s attempt to destroy Christianity in Nigeria by force is believed by many to have actually strengthened the Catholic Church in Nigeria. Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme of Maiduguri is one of these people. He is obviously very saddened by the recent attacks, but he is also very optimistic about the future of Catholicism in Nigeria. In a recent interview with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Bishop Doeme explained the reason for his optimism:

“Last year in my diocese we had more Catholics than when there was no Boko Haram crisis. As long as the kingdom of God continues, no evil human forces will overcome it. Over 200 churches have been burned down, as well as schools, but we will not be defeated…We are a people of faith and, in terms of the Church, Boko Haram is not the only evil we have faced. We are deeply devoted to Mary. God will crush Boko Haram in his own time.”

Bishop Doeme also added the tremendous support ACN has given the Church in Nigeria. Bishop Dashe finished his interview saying:

“Our greatest support comes from ACN and without ACN the diocese will collapse. We will continue to pray for you and cherish you.”

None of this support would be possible if not for the prayers and the donations made by ACN’s many generous benefactors.