By Tony Okafor, Awka
No fewer than 1041 Christians have been killed across the country within 100 days in 2023, with Benue as the worst hit with about 380 Christians murdered within the period under review.
The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) stated this in a statement made available to our correspondent on Thursday in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
The group said from its investigation no fewer than 1,041 defenseless Christians were hacked to death by Nigeria’s Boko Haram, bandits or fulani herdsmen in the first 100 days of 2023 or from January to 10th April 2023.
The group maintained that no fewer than 707 Christians were abducted within the same period; out of which Niger State,according to the group, recorded more than 200 abductions including 14th March 2023 abduction of over 100 Christians in Adunu (Paikoro).
Intersociety Chairman , Emeka Umeagbalasi said the findings of the group showed that 18,000 churches and 2200 Christian schools and other Christian learning centrers were attacked by the Islamic fundamentalists or bandits destroyed in part or in whole including being razed or burned down.
The statement read, partly “The unveiled statistics showed that not less than 380 Christians were slaughtered by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in 100 days in Benue, 102 in Kaduna, 150 in Christian parts of Niger State (Paikoro, Munya, Shiroro, Rafi, etc), 100 deaths in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa by BH/ISWAP); 32 Christian deaths in Plateau, 20 in Ondo, 11 in Edo, 10 in Delta as well as Kebbi 10 deaths, Bauchi 9 deaths, Taraba 14 deaths, Katsina 10 deaths, Enugu 6 deaths; and 60 deaths arising from the military killings in the East since Jan 2023 and others 50 deaths.
“Also, no fewer than 707 Christians were abducted within the same period; out of which Niger State recorded more than 200 abductions including 14th March 2023 abduction of over 100 Christians in Adunu (Paikoro).
“No fewer than 101 anti Christian abductions were recorded in Kaduna while other affected States are Katsina, Taraba, Edo, Ogun, Nassarawa, Kwara, Kogi, Borno, Yobe and Adawama (about 60 abductions by BH/ISWAP), Bauchi, Enugu, Imo, Kebbi, Gombe, Bayelsa and Cross River.
“It is therefore no longer contestable that forefathers and foremothers of the Nigerian Christian converts were more protected and divinely guarded during the Oracular Period under Pre-Christian Papacy than they are under the present Christian leaders.
“The dry material quest and lackadaisical attitudes of the Nigerian Christian leaders are also forcing Christian converts to leave the Church in droves to embrace other non-Christian denominations.
“It must be warned that if extreme care is not taken to rescue the Christendom and the Church, the churches or church buildings in Nigeria will become the present day Turkish church monuments in fifty years time or less than that” Umeagbalasi warned.
