Nigeria: Latest Boko Haram attack

Islamist militants have killed over 100 civilians in the Christian village of Izge, near the border of Cameroon in north-eastern Nigeria, according to reports. Armed men attacked the remote village on Saturday, slaughtering dozens of innocent people and forcing many others to flee. They also detonated bombs and set fire to homes, terrifying the local community in another string of recent attacks. Izge’s population is largely Christian. It has been under emergency rule since May last year when President Goodluck Jonathan authorised increased military powers to tackle ongoing violence in the north-eastern regions of Nigeria. However, there were no military forces present in the village on Saturday. ‘A hundred and six people, including an old woman, have been killed by the attackers,’ confirmed Senator Ali Ndume. A local resident told the Guardian that ‘the dead bodies of the victims are still lying in the streets. We fled without burying them, fearing the terrorists were still lurking in the bushes.’

Pray: God’s perfect peace and protection over Christians in central and northern Nigeria, who are suffering intense persecution and living in fear of their lives. (Ps 18:2).

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/nigeria.latest.boko.haram.attack.kills.106/35881.htm

Nigeria: 60 Christians helped, 80 waiting for prosthetics

While the assaults by Boko Haram in Nigeria have faded from the news, the attacks on Christians have continued to escalate. What would you do? Go to church knowing you could be attacked? Avoid sharing your faith? Or even deny your faith to save your earthly body? These are very hard questions and Christians in Nigeria (mostly the north) face this dilemma almost daily. In recent years Boko Haram has burnt churches and beheaded Christians. Another tactic is that of severing a limb, usually a leg. In response to these attacks The Voice of the Martyrs has built a prosthetics clinic in northern Nigeria. With the help of technicians donating their time along with quality materials shipped from the US they have been able to assist 60 of our persecuted brothers and sisters with prosthetic limbs in the last 12 months and have identified 80 more Christians needing one.

Pray: for God to protect and encourage Nigerian believers living in fear, and pray for those ministering to victims of persecution. (Ps.69:32-33)

More: https://secure.persecution.com/email/prostheticclinic2014.aspx?source=EMAIL115

106 Killed in Village Attack

Suspected Islamist militants have raided a Nigerian village and murdered dozens, according to witnesses.  The gunmen reportedly rounded up a group of men in Izghe village and shot them, before going door-to-door and killing anyone they found.  Officials said they suspected the Boko Haram group was behind the attack.  Boko Haram, which claims to be fighting to create an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, is notorious for extreme violence and indiscriminate attacks.  Bodies in the streets: The senator for Borno state, where the attack took place, told the BBC's Newsday programme that 106 people - 105 men and an elderly woman trying to protect her grandson - were killed in the latest attack.  Ali Ndume said around 100 Islamist militants attacked Izghe for five hours on Saturday evening, without any intervention from the army. He said the military recently withdrew from the area after nine soldiers were killed in an ambush last week.

Pray: for an end to bombings, killings and abductions, provisions for widows and orphans without a source of livelihood and for desperate communities to know hope, peace and restoration. (Is.54:5; Pr.2:12)

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-26220300 

Nigeria: Soldiers join slaughter of Christians

Survivors of the January 6th slaughter of 33 Christians in a village in Plateau State said Special Task Force soldiers stationed to protect them turned their weapons on those fleeing the attack. Speaking from her hospital bed with bullet wounds in her legs, Antele Alamba said hundreds of Muslim Fulani herdsmen armed with guns and machetes attacked Shonong village burning homes and butchering women and children. ‘The soldiers stationed in the village to protect us joined the Fulani herdsmen in shooting and in the process most of our people were killed.’ Alamba said as tears dripped down her cheeks. ‘I was shot by soldiers as I ran away for protection. We were all trapped in the village as there was no way of escape for us. We ran to the church and soldiers followed us there. They were shooting, and the herdsmen were shooting too. It was chaos and confusion everywhere.’

Pray: for God’s comfort and provision for the survivors and the families of the dead. Pray against corruption in the security forces. (Ps.18:6-9)

More: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2014/s14010033.htm