Nigeria: 20 Christians murdered; “constant killings of Christians is very common”

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) -Twenty Christians were murdered and a Catholic teacher was kidnapped by Islamic terrorists in Nigeria’s Taraba state earlier this month, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.

The first two weeks of August saw twenty Christians killed by Fulani Muslim militants in Taraba’s Gassol and Bali counties, MSN reports. “Constant killings and maiming of innocent Christians by terrorists and herdsmen bandits have become very common here in Taraba state,” Bali area resident Ayuba Matthew told MSN. “So also, kidnappings of Christians have become a problem.”

On Sunday, August 14, Catechist Gideon Tsehemba was abducted after suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) gunmen shot their way into St. Agnes Catholic Church in Dinya village, in Taraba state’s Gassol County, at about 10 pm.

In a statement to MSN, Rev. Lawrence Awua, the parish priest said: “The ISWAP terrorists broke into the premises of our church on Sunday, Aug. 14, as we were already in our bedrooms. They were shooting indiscriminately in the premises of the church. Our catechist, Mr. Gideon Tsehemba, was forcefully dragged out of the church with a gun pointed at him. I was already in my bedroom, but they thought there was no one around except the catechist. We hope and pray they do not harm [him].”

Nigeria ranked number one in the world last year for both murders and abductions of Christians by Islamic extremists. According to International Christian Concern, as of August 2021, 43,000 Christians had been killed, and 18,500 Christians had been abducted since 2009.

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