Suicide bombers attacked Christians during Sunday worship for the third week running, killing 50+ in a familiar pattern of a suicide bomber ramming a car into a church. This week it was the Winning All church in Kaduna on Sunday killing 24 and wounding 125. Within a few minutes explosives were detonated at Christ the King Church in Zaria killing 16+ and injuring dozens - some of them critically and many were children. Then Shalom Church in Kaduna was bombed killing 10+. Boko Haram have claimed responsibility for all attacks – as they did for attacks in Plateau and Borno states on June 10 and in Bauchi state on June 3. Riots in Kaduna sparked by Sunday's bombings killed 52+ and a 24-hour curfew was implemented on Sunday to restore order. Pray for an end to extremist violence which has claimed more than 500 lives in Nigeria this year. Pray too that those living in affected areas will not seek reprisals.

Pray: for God to bless the efforts of those who are working to build bridges between Christian and Muslim communities, and may the grieving and injured draw near to God and receive His strength. (Ps.18:16,17)

More: http://www.releaseinternational.org/pages/posts/nigeria-more-than-50-killed-in-third-week-of-church-bombings-992.php

An extremist ran a car full of explosives at Christ’s Chosen Church of God in Jos on Sunday morning, killing at least two and injuring 40+. The attack was the second suicide bombing of a church in two Sundays and the third church bombing in Jos in six months. It happened after the service ended. A pastor, church elders and some children remained in the sanctuary at the moment the bomb was detonated, collapsing the roof of the sanctuary. The death toll was expected to increase as injuries were severe. Also on Sunday in Borno State gunmen killed at least two Christians during church worship. The Boko Haram Islamic sect took responsibility for both assaults. A witness said the extremist was seen trying to bomb St Peter’s Catholic Church and the Evangelical Church Winning All, but could not gain entry. Each of these two churches and the bombed church are in the same road.

Pray:for the injured, bereaved and their families, pray also against the ideologies behind these attacks, and against the desire to de-stabilize the government through violence. (Ps.42:4)

More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/nigeria/article_1596552.html

A suicide bomber crashed the gate of a church compound in this northern Nigerian city this morning, killing himself and at least 10 others and leaving more than 30 injured, according to eyewitnesses and officials. The Islamic extremist Boko Haram group was suspected of detonating the bomb at the gate of Living Faith Church as members were leaving an early morning worship service. The explosion also brought down a wall of the adjacent Harvest Field church, an eyewitness told Compass. ‘Security agents who were within the vicinity of the two churches tried to force the suicide bomber to stop at a security checkpoint, but the bomber crashed his car into the gates of one of the two churches, the Living Faith church, killing many people and injuring many others,’ said Kyemme Nzarmo, a student at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi.

Pray: for peace in Nigeria, that God would enable a breakthrough and that extremists will cease their atrocities. (Ps.34:14)

More:http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/nigeria/article_1574817.html

Chad's leader has called for the urgent creation of a regional force to tackle Nigerian Boko Haram militants. The Islamist group operates in northern Nigeria, but President Idriss Deby said it was posing a threat to its neighbours around Lake Chad. ‘Our basin is exposed to insecurity because of the permanent threat posed by Boko Haram,’ he said. Nigeria has been struggling to contain attacks by the militants who want to impose Islamic law in the country. Barnabas Fund reported Tuesday that around 300 Christians have been killed in one diocese in the past three weeks. Last Sunday 3 church services in Northern Nigeria were targeted leaving 27 dead. See:

Pray: for the creation of a joint African deterrence force to protect the Christian community in Nigeria. (Ps.17:8-9)

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17906504

The Nigerian government must do more to protect Christians after another church was targeted over the weekend, an advocacy group has said. (see last weeks Prayer-Alert 15-2012) Suspicion for responsibility has fallen on Boko Haram. The Christian Association of Nigeria recently said it believes that Boko Haram, which means ‘Western education is sacrilege’ intends to ‘exterminate’ Nigeria’s Christian population. The Rev Yunusa Nmadu, chief executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria called upon the international community and the US administration in particular to declare Boko Haram a terrorist group ‘because this is what it is in reality.’ He also appealed to the Nigerian government to ensure adequate protection for Christians ‘as they are the main targets and regular victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.’ Christian Solidarity Worldwide said the burden of security should not be left to individuals.

Pray: for the international community to provide counter-insurgency training for the army and police and may God give them the wisdom to prevent further bloodshed. (Pr.1:5)

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/call.for.protection.of.christians.after.nigeria.suicide.bombing/29647.htm

An ecumenical organization, the Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria, said it plans to establish small business and agricultural enterprises that will bring Christians and Muslims together in the troubled north-central part of Nigeria. ‘We believe that projects jointly owned by Christians and Muslims would bridge the relationship gap between them,’ said Helen Philemon Haggai, co-ordinator of the fellowship's peace desk. The projects, Haggai said, ‘will focus on establishment of farms that will provide employment opportunities for Christian and Muslim youths. These farms will enable them to produce crops like potatoes, tomatoes and vegetables like lotus and cabbages. This will provide food for their families and at the same time, provide them with incomes. In addition, water projects like boreholes can provide safe drinking water for Muslim and Christian communities’. Furthermore, Haggai said, ‘a skills acquisition centre will be established for the training of both Christian and Muslim youths and widows.’

Praise: God for this initiative and pray that working together will lead to peace. (Ez.37:26)

More: http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=4894