On 10 June Muslim Fulani herdsmen killed two Christians and seriously wounded another in central Nigeria. Ibrahim Weyi, 45, and Larry More, 53, were hacked to death when herdsmen ambushed them as they were going home on a motorcycle from an evening worship service. A third Christian, 23-year-old Samuel Weyi, was wounded and is in intensive care. Lawrence Zango said, ‘Fulani herdsmen have continued to kill innocent Christians in our villages, yet the Nigerian government has not taken proactive measures to end the onslaught.’ President Muhammadu Buhari is also a Fulani Muslim. A spokesman for the Plateau State Command said an investigation is under way. Herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in the Bassa area intensified late last year and have continued in spite of the presence of military personnel. Victims are either ambushed and killed or attacked in their homes at night.
Pray: for President Buhari’s military to end Christian persecution. (Job 26:2)
More: http://morningstarnews.org/2018/06/two-christians-ambushed-killed-in-central-nigeria/
News
Criminal gangs raid villages and steal cattle in bloody attacks. Earlier this month, 71 died after a bloody clash between armed bandits and militiamen. The kidnappers took advantage of a security lull on the road as a result of local elections taking place. Kidnappings for ransom often happen. A Syrian construction worker was kidnapped in Sokoto. Police dispatched to rescue him were ambushed by the kidnappers, and three were killed in the fight. Nigeria is battling an array of security threats across the country, from Boko Haram jihadists, oil militants, nomadic Fulani tribesmen, and criminal gangs kidnapping for profit. Churches are desecrated, Christians slaughtered, and women, girls and young men are kidnapped or forced into suicide missions.
Pray: for President Muhammadu Buhari and his resources to curb violence. (Isaiah 45:5)
More: www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/birnin-gwari-kidnap-kidnappers-started-contacting-families-ransom/
The Bishop of Makurdi, Nathan Inyom, was attacked by gunmen in Nigeria’s Benue state on 6 May. None of the five passengers (who included his wife Becky and his chaplain) was injured, but his car was stolen in the attack. Benue is an area that has been beset by increasing levels of violence in recent weeks. Last month two Catholic priests, Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha, were killed when herdsmen stormed the church in Ukpor where they were celebrating Mass. ‘This was an attack on everything that we ever stood for and believed in’, a spokesman said. See
Pray: for safety for all Christian leaders, and for peace in the whole of Nigeria. (Luke 1:79)
More: http://thenationonlineng.net/gunmen-attack-anglican-bishop-2/
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROTEST BY NIGERIAN CHRISTIANS AGAINST GENOCIDE PERPETRATED BY ISLAMIST BOKO HARAM AND FULANI HERDSMEN AND COMPLICITY OF PRESIDENT BUHARI’S ADMINISTRATION
We bring you Calvary greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) having considered the current state of the nation is organizing a ONE YEAR of PRAYER PROJECT.
The Year of Prayer is scheduled to launch on May 1st 2018 until April 30th 2019.
It will involve all Pentecostal denominations, Para-Church Prayer Ministries, Women and Christian Youth Ministries and Fellowships under PFN and University Campus Fellowships across Nigeria.
We would like to invite our diasporas, international partners and supporters in prayer to join us.
A rolling monthly prayer guide has been prepared, and is available from our website here: http://www.pray4nigeria.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=317&Itemid=290
Please help us to get the message out. We so value your joining in prayer and intercession with us at this crucial and challenging time for our nation.
We pray for restoration of the glory of the Lord, His Church and our land in line with Scriptures, (Joel 2:17).
May the Lord strengthen and give you grace.
Yours in Him
Pastor Austen Ukachi | Rev. (Mrs.) Mercy Ezekiel
For the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria
http://www.pray4nigeria.org/ | http://www.pfn.org.ng/
NATIONAL CHRISTIAN REPENTANCE PRAYER AND FASTING
"Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Hosea 6:1-2"
Christian Solidarity Worldwide called for action to end religious discrimination in Pakistani, Iranian, Burmese, Nigerian and Mexican schools. They explored violations where many children experience various forms of mistreatment because of their faith. During an event at the Speaker’s House, in the United Kingdom Parliament, attendees heard how children and young people experience discrimination, verbal abuse, physical violence and even forced conversion at school because of their religion or belief. The Executive Director of the National Commission for Justice and Peace in Pakistan said religious intolerance in his country is facilitated by syllabuses that fuel prejudice. He said, ‘This intolerance has threatened the entire social fabric of our nation, and we have to begin by addressing the biased education system, policies and practices prevalent in Pakistan,’ A speaker representing the Iranian Baha’i community called it ‘cradle to grave’ persecution, ‘Baha’i children do not have an absolute right to education.'
Pray: for the United Nations Human Rights Council to apply pressure on governments to protect minors and minorities suffering persecution (Luke 18:16)
More: http://www.csw.org.uk/2018/02/28/press/3850/article.htm
Last month, Archbishop Justin Welby offered to do what he could towards peace negotiations in Nigeria as violence escalates. Last week we reported that Justin, ‘once again exhorted President Buhari and other authorities, civil and religious, national and international, to build a coalition to end violence immediately.’ On 11 April, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and High Commissioner George-Oguntade met Archbishop Welby and the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Josiah Idowu-Fearon, in London to discuss ‘inter-religious harmony in Nigeria and the world’. Pray that their efforts will end the suffering resulting from raids on Christian communities and villages as far south as Delta State. May their discussions lead to God-inspired actions against escalating violence in Nigeria, and the end of the suffering of the poor. President Buhari will have more meetings in London ahead of next week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Pray: for the current round of meetings to resolve a complex Nigerian security situation. (Pr.21:22)
In January Archbishop Justin Welby tweeted his sadness about the killings and displacements in Nigeria. Writing to the country’s primate, Nicholas Okoh, he offered to contribute towards negotiating peace. He has now repeated that offer, saying, ‘My condolences go to those who have lost loved ones and property. I urge the authorities to seek for ways to ameliorate their sufferings and losses. I call on all people of goodwill to continue to pray for the peace of Nigeria. I mourn with this great country and stand with them in prayer. I once again exhort President Buhari and other authorities, civil and religious, national and international, to build a coalition to end this violence immediately.’ Since January 175,000 people have been displaced by fighting in Benue State and are now living in refugee camps.
Pray: for an end to the conflict between the nomadic herdsmen and the farmers who cultivate the land for crops. (Matthew 5:9)
Last week we praised God for the release of 104 Dapchi school girls by Boko Haram. Five of the 110 girls died and were buried in the bush. What happened to the other girl? Her name is Leah Sharibu, and she defied Boko Haram by refusing to renounce her Christian faith! She is still in captivity. Her father, Nathan Sharibu, said, ‘They gave her the option of converting in order to be released, but she said she will never become a Muslim. I am very sad, but I'm also praising God because my daughter did not renounce Christ.’ Leah sent a message asking her family ‘to pray for the will of God to be done in my life’. What bravery, what faith, what a testimony to the world! One lone Christian girl among 110 defies the abominable Boko Haram. What will happen to her? President Buhari has been asked to ‘uphold the tenets and principles of the Nigerian constitution’. We must pray!
Pray: for Leah to feel God’s comfort and protection, and for Him to destroy Boko Haram by His power. (Deuteronomy 33:27)
Recent revelations about Cambridge Analytica (CA) tactics to influence elections using data from Facebook accounts and its role in UK and US election votes are the tip of an iceberg. CA has been linked to elections in Czech Republic, India, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Ukraine. This is a truly worldwide phenomenon. New technologies can be a double-edged sword. Social media has transformed how the public call out the corrupt and demand change. But what happens when the data these tools generate about their users is used as part of a murky process to influence elections? Is this corruption? The now-suspended CEO of CA has said that some emails between the company and its clients automatically self-destruct, leaving no electronic paper trail for investigators looking for election fraud allegations. Also identities of companies working on elections were hidden, presumably through shell companies. ‘No one even knew they were there,’ said another CA executive of an operation in Eastern Europe. See also
Pray: for loopholes in countries’ election processes to be discovered and closed. (Psalm 37:10,11)
More: voices.transparency.org/the-week-in-corruption-23-march-2018-d9903b21b6cd
According to an ongoing headcount, 100 of the school girls abducted by militants from their boarding school in Dapchi on 19 February were ‘dropped off’ at about 7:30 am on 21 March. Their release was unconditional. ‘Dapchi is full of joy,’ said Mohammed Mdada. He said the militants apologised to some of the girls’ parents in their language, Kanuri, and shook their hands before driving off. They said that if they had known the girls were Muslim they wouldn’t have abducted them. Some reports say that Christian girls had not been released. Amnesty International said four girls are still missing. The terrorists warned the girls to stay away from school, adding that if they returned and found any girls in school they’d abduct them again and never give them back. Although parents are rejoicing, it can be seen that the girls have suffered and are in a poor state.
Praise: God for the girls’ release, but continue to pray for the release of all the Chibok and Dapchi girls still in captivity. May they have complete mental, spiritual, and physical recovery. (Psalm 10:12)
More: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/21/boko-haram-returns-some-of-the-girls-it-kidnapped-last-month
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