Killer herdsmen have changed strategy in their determination to spread death and sorrow in targeted Nigerian communities, the Int’l Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law (Intersociety) said Sunday in a Special Report. Entitled “Nigeria: 1,202 Defenseless Christians Hacked To Death By Jihadists In Six Months (Jan-June 2020)”, the report documented the atrocities of killer herdsmen and jihadists across the country.

Ina statement announcing the release of the Special Report, Intersociety said: “The Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen, their wealthy backers and Government protectors are strongly believed to have introduced new strategies in their bids to wipe out Christians in Northern Nigeria and take over or destroy their lands and other properties including worship or learning centers. These they intended by further arming and sponsoring smaller villages or communities with dominant Muslim populations sharing boundaries with Christian settlements to launch unprovoked attacks against them so as to make such attacks look like ‘communal clashes’.”

The statement was signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chair; Barr Damaris Amaka Onuoha, Head, Campaign & Publicity; Barr Ndidiamaka Bernard, Head, Int’l Justice & Human Rights; Barr Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Head, Civil Liberties & Rule of Law; Barr Chinwe Umeche, Head, Democracy & Good Governance; and Comrade Samuel Kamanyaoku, Head, Field Data Collection & Documentation Department. It reads as follows:

“Threats to citizens’ rights to freedom of worship and religion in Nigeria; the world’s first human right, have continued unabated with hacking to death by the country’s Islamic Jihadists or radical Islamists of no fewer than 1,202 defenseless Christians in first six months of 2020 covering January to June; involving Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen 812 Christian deaths and Boko Haram/ISWAP and others 390 Christian deaths. Boko Haram/ISWAP had during the period killed over 600 persons and over 260 in the past 45 days of 15^th May to 30^th June 2020; out of which, 300 of them were strongly believed to be Christians. That is to say that between 1^st Jan and 14^th May 2020 when we did our last update, not less than 200 Christians were hacked to death by Boko Haram/ISWAP; and out of over 260 killed by the same Jihadist sect from 15^th May to 30^th June 2020, not less than 100 were strongly believed to be Christians.

“Previous Statistics On Killings By Nigeria’s Jihadists: Intersociety had in her last update of 14^th May 2020 disclosed that “Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen accounted for at least 470 Christian deaths out of total of 620 recorded from the start of January 2020 to 14^th May 2020 while Boko Haram and others accounted for 150”. Our organization also reviewed the number of Christians hacked to death by Nigeria’s Jihadist groups from July 2009 to date and disclosed that “32,000 Christian lives will have been lost from July 2009 to end of Dec 2020; involving Jihadist Herdsmen 15,000 deaths (6,000 deaths: June 2009-Dec 2014 and 9,000 deaths: Jan 2015-Dec 2020) and Boko Haram/ISWAP 16,800 deaths (11,400 deaths: July 2009-Dec 2014 and 5,400 deaths: Jan 2015-Dec 2020)”.

“New Statistics On Jihadist Herdsmen Killings: The leading perpetrators in the latest round of anti Christian butcheries in Nigeria are the Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen who accounted for no fewer than 812 deaths in six months and 258 deaths from 15^th May to 30^th June 2020. No fewer than 90 Christian deaths, omitted in our last update of 14^th May 2020 have been added; mostly from Southern Kaduna with 80 additional deaths. While the Adara Community, an area with predominant Christian population, lost 143 of the 2002 Christian deaths in first six months of 2020, the remaining predominantly Christian communities in the State recorded a total of 56 deaths including last week’s attack in Chibok Community, Zango-Kataf Local Government Area killing six Christians. Three more Christian deaths were added, totaling the 202 deaths from Southern Kaduna alone. The Adara Community which is located in Kajuru Local Government Area had also in 2019 lost not less than 240 Christians to Fulani Jihadists. The rest of the predominantly Christian communities in the State lost not less than 80, totaling 320. These are according to statistics obtained by Intersociety from the leaderships of Southern Kaduna People’s Union-SOKAPU and Adara Dev Association as well as other dependable sources.

“Breakdown Of The Jihadist Herdsmen Killings: Our detailed statistics gathered across the country concerning the killing of defenseless Christians by the State backed Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in the past six months of 2020 clearly indicated that Southern Kaduna topped the list with 202 deaths, involving 143 killed in Adara Community and over 56 killed in other Christian communities in the State. Plateau State came second with 158 deaths, Benue 142 deaths, Kogi and Adamawa 40 deaths each and Taraba, Niger and Nasarawa 30 deaths each. Igbo Land including Igbo-Delta and Igbo-Benue recorded at least 30 deaths, non Igbo-Delta 20 deaths, Edo 10 deaths and Southwest particularly Ondo and Oyo 20 deaths. Seven were killed on Friday night, July 10 in Tse-Chembe (Logo LGA), Benue.

“When ‘dark figures’ of 50 is added, it is most likely safe or correct to say that the total number of Christian deaths in the past six months across Nigeria perpetrated by the Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen alone is 812. Statistics concerning the 258 Christian deaths in the hands of same Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in 45 days of 15^th May to 30^th June 2020 further indicated that Southern Kaduna lost 72 including 22 killed on July 10 and 11 in Chibuak and Kidugu 11 Communities, Benue lost 58, Nasarawa 30, Plateau 28, Adamawa 25, Taraba and Niger 20 each, Kogi and Igbo Land 10 each and Southwest 6. The number did not include at least 29 defenseless indigenous Tiv Christians massacred by the Nigerian Army in different communities located in Donga, Takun and Wukari Local Government Areas of Taraba State; which started on 29^th June and ended 30^th day of the same June 2020.

“Killings By Other Jihadist Groups: On killing of Christians perpetrated by other Jihadist groups across Nigeria in the first six months of 2020, Boko Haram/ISWAP accounted for 300 Christian deaths out of over 600 total deaths while other jihadist groups such as Ansaru and “Bandits” accounted for over 50 Christian deaths. The no fewer than 50 deaths by the latter are likely to have arisen mainly from those abducted and killed in their custodies. These could have resulted from torture or resistance to sexual violence including custodial rape; or inability or refusal to pay ransoms demanded; or refusal to be forcefully converted to Islam; or deaths arising from gunshot wounds or starvation at the point of their abductions.

“This is more so when it is credibly estimated that over 1000 defenseless Christian citizens including travelers (Christian businessmen and women, clergymen, etc), rural Christian women and young girls must have been abducted across Nigeria by the country’s Jihadists in the past six months of 2020. Most, if not all the abductees are left or abandoned to their fate by the country’s security agencies; to ‘buy their freedom’ if abducted for ransom; or accept the conditions forced on them by their abductors including forced conversion to Islam or risked being killed in custody. Thousands of defenseless Christians who survived being hacked to death have also been injured and left in mutilated conditions with several of them crippled for life. Hundreds of Christian worship and learning centers have been destroyed or burnt; likewise thousands of dwelling houses, farmlands and other properties belonging to Christians.

“Group Accountability For The 1,202 Christian Deaths: With the above additions captured, the 812 Christian deaths recorded from Jan to June were perpetrated by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen (comprising indigenous and ‘imported’ Fulani and Shuwa Arab Jihadists); Jihadist Boko Haram/ISWAP 300 Christian deaths and 50 Christian deaths from the “Jihadist Bandits” and Ansaru Jihadists (mainly arising from abductions and associated deaths in custody). The Nigerian Army also accounted for no fewer than 30 indigenous Christian deaths including over 25 killed on June 29 in Taraba State^.This is according to Tiv Youth Forum in their press conference addressed on Sat, 4^th July 2020.

“The leadership of Tiv Cultural and Social Association had earlier accused soldiers of killing a family of four during their raid on same 29^th June 2020, which ended 30^th June. The military raids took place in some predominantly Christian communities in Wukari, Takun and Donga Local Government Areas of the State; killing no fewer than 25 indigenous Tiv Christians and another family of four. The Nigerian Military, after the dastardly act, hurriedly organized a press conference at Defense Headquarters in Abuja, labeling the slain as “bandits” and “criminals”, “killed in exchange of gunfire with soldiers”. The Tiv leaders had also during their own press conference accused soldiers of ‘raping their wives and daughters during the operation”. Till date, the perpetrators of the heinous crimes have remained untracked and no credible investigation has been ordered.

“Pattern Of Killings By The Jihadist Groups: While 100% of victims of Jihadist Herdsmen killings are Christians, it is symmetrically 60%/40% or 50%/50% for Christians and Muslims killed in recent times by Jihadist Boko Haram/ISWAP. This is unlike in 2009 to 2017 when it was 80% Christian victims and 20% Muslim victims. In other words, Jihadist Herdsmen target and kill Christians only or burn or destroy their properties including dwelling houses, farmlands and worship and learning centers. On the other hand, Boko Haram/ISWAP Jihadists presently kill both Christians and Muslims (those tagged ‘unbelievers’ or ‘traitors’ or ‘conspirators’ or those killed collaterally). Boko Haram/ISWAP was strictly transformed for purpose of wiping out all Christians in Nigeria and “their western culture” and instituting Islamic Sultanate Government governed by Sharia laws.

“Ansaru Jihadists, on their part, strictly kill Christians including abducted foreigners while asymmetric Muslim deaths in their hands are seen as accidental occurring under exceptional situations. Jihadist ‘Bandits’ also target and kill Christians and ‘Hausa-Muslims’ (a sort of intra faith jihadism of the Fulani Jihadists of early 1800s in Northern Nigeria). Though pretended to be “economic militants’, the Northern “Bandits” share a lot in common with four other Jihadist Groups: banditry and interfaith jihadism using sexual violence, abduction, killing and property violence and state complicity and protection.

“Herdsmen Jihadism Now Beyond Middle Belt: It was also our finding that the jihadist attacks or violence by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Shuwa Arabs, perpetrated under state cover and protection, have rapidly spread beyond the country’s North-Central or old Middle Belt Region (Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi). The attacks have also long been targeted for purpose of uprooting and devastating all the Christian settlements in Northern Nigeria and beyond including Southern Kaduna (now in Northwest Region) and Taraba and Adamawa (now in Northeast Region).

“Owing to complicity and failure of the Nigerian Government, the Fulani Jihadists and their attacks have further spread to Niger State in North-Central Region (Gbagyi, Kamuku, Ungwai and Bassa which are predominantly Christian communities in Munya, Rafi and Shiroro Local Government Areas) as well as Southeast Region (all its five States), South-south Region particularly Delta and Edo and Southwest Region particularly Ondo and Oyo. All the areas under Jihadist Herdsmen attacks are Christian communities, as till date, there are no pieces of evidence anywhere showing killing of Muslims and taking over of their lands, farmlands and houses or destruction or burning of Mosques by the Jihadist Herdsmen.

“Faking Communal Clashes In Furtherance Of Attacks Against Christians: The Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen, their wealthy backers and Government protectors are strongly believed to have introduced new strategies in their bids to wipe out Christians in Northern Nigeria and take over or destroy their lands and other properties including worship or learning centers. These they intended by further arming and sponsoring smaller villages or communities with dominant Muslim populations sharing boundaries with Christian settlements to launch unprovoked attacks against them so as to make such attacks look like ‘communal clashes’.

“For instance, a largely Muslim tribe from Gombe State (the Waja is a tribe that are largely Muslims) which shares boundaries with Christian Communities of Mbemun and Bushkiri in Lamurde and Guyuk Local Government Areas of Adamawa State is one of such armed and sponsored communities that on 9^th June 2020 attacked the two named Christian communities. In the end, over 23 Christian lives were lost and several houses and other properties belonging to them destroyed. Some of the recent killing of Christians in Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa and Benue States also fall into this category.

“Dozens Of Benue-Igbo Christians Have Been Hacked To Death: Among hundreds of defenseless Christians slaughtered by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in Benue are dozens of ancestral Igbo natives in Benue State. Also most of the ancestral Igbo communities or communities of Igbo roots in Benue and Kogi States are occupied by or are under the occupation of Jihadist Herdsmen (comprising indigenous and ‘imported’ Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Shuwa Arabs). Statistically speaking, by the account of the Citizen Reports, July 1, 2020, the Senate on Thursday urged the Nigeria Police and other relevant security agencies in the country to carry out a comprehensive investigation into attacks by herdsmen on Echori and Itakpa communities in Benue state, with a view to arresting the perpetrators. The call by the upper chamber was contained in resolutions reached sequel to the consideration of a motion to that effect on the need for legislative intervention.

“Sponsor of the motion, Senator Patrick Abba Moro (PDP – Benue South), noted with concern the recent twin attacks of suspected Fulani herdsmen on two communities of Echori and Itakpa of Obi Local Government Area of Benue South Senatorial District of Benue State on the 10th of May, 2020 and 1st June, 2020 respectively. According to him, a total of eleven persons were killed during the attacks on both communities. The lawmaker disclosed the names of the eleven persons killed to include: Innocent Joseph; Tony Ogbu Alapa; Christian Abe Igo; Sunday Atubu; Stephen Okwute; Okwu Joseph; Ogochukwu Imuila Ogbu; and Friday Adekpe Ola. Others are: Cecilia Onah; Onah Ogaga; Aka-Orisha (Akachukwu); Linus Udor; Sunday Okarike and Enokela Ameh.

“Increase In Abduction Of Women & Young Girls: Apart from the fact that many of the 1,202 defenseless Christians hacked to death since the start of January 2020 are women and children and other persons of vulnerable identities, there is a rapid increase in the number of young girls and women of non-menopausal age brackets being abducted by the Jihadists across the country including Igbo Land. In other words, Nigeria’s genocidal and atrocious Jihadists including Jihadist Herdsmen and Boko Haram/ISWAP have rapidly increased their rate of abduction of the referenced females, both legally married and unmarried. Such abducted women hardly return when abducted.

“They are mostly used in their captors’ custodies as ‘sex slaves’ and ‘makers of jihadist children’, from where they are forcefully married off and converted to Islam or get killed in custody if they resisted the conditions imposed. Credible evidence abounds showing the helplessness of the parents and husbands of such abductees. In Igbo Land including Igbo parts of Benue, Kogi and Delta and the five States of the Southeast where it is estimated that not less than 100 young girls and married and unmarried women of non-menopausal age brackets have been abducted between the start of January 2019 and June 2020, parents and husbands of the abductees are fearfully forced into “silence of the graveyard” for ‘fear of being killed’ or “have their entire families wiped out” by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen who perpetrate the atrocity with reckless abandon. These are usual responses of those in positions of authority and clergymen or church leaders complained to by the parents and husbands of the victims.

“Statistics On Abduction Of Young Girls & Women: Apart from not less than 100 women and girls abducted in the past 18 months by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in the named areas in Igbo Land, the Church of Brethren in Nigeria (EYN) has also lost more than 36 persons mostly married and unmarried young women and girls to Boko Haram abductions in the past six months of 2020. Abduction of young women and girls of Igbo Christian extraction in Igbo Land particularly those farming in their farmlands or going to same has become a routine in recent months.

“As reported by Vanguard Newspaper of 24^th April 2020, a 20-year-old Mrs. Chioma Iwolo was abducted by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen who violently stormed the premises of Austin Farms in Anambra West Local Government Area and abducted the young woman. Her mother, Madam Iwolo, after waiting for her return to no avail, cried out to the media. Till now, her daughter has remained at large. As reported also by same Vanguard Newspaper of 1^st July 2020, a 22-year-old Miss Agnes Okekpe from Abakaliki (Izzi) local government area of Ebonyi State who was contracted to work in a farm by an Ebenebe native in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State recently died from injuries inflicted on her by Jihadist Herdsmen when she was abducted last year (2019) from the farm and brutally raped. She recently died from injuries sustained from her Jihadist rapists. These are just to mention but a few.

“Abduction Of Christian Girls By BH Using Commercial Motorists In Northeast: Boko Haram Jihadists have devised new methods of abducting Christian girls in Yobe, Borno, Taraba and Adamawa States; using commercial motorists. They are using the Muslim commercial drivers to take Christian girls and women from Gashua to Damaturu; Damaturu to Biu and from Damaturu to Borno, etc. I spent over one week investigating this, in the end, I discovered that dozens of Christian girls and women have been taken without knowing where they are being taken to. I met with one of my friends, a Fulani who also corroborated my findings: that from Motor Park, when they carry any Christian girl or Christian girls or women they will not tell them the routes they are going to follow to reach their intended destinations.

“Now you can't follow directly from Damaturu to Gashua because BH has taken over Babangida and Dapchi route which is the regular way. But the safer way is to follow from Potiskum then proceed to Gashua, but the BH hired commercial Muslim drivers will not tell them that they are going to follow the bad or Boko Haram occupied road until after the Christian girls and women have entered the car; with the car already on the road, and usually women are seated at the back seats of the vehicle, with the men at the middle seats. Then the next thing is for Boko Haram hired Muslim drivers to follow the road to Babangida which is the dangerous road for Christians and even if you shout nobody will help you, until they reach where the BH will take forceful delivery of the Christian girls or women.

“Once the hired drivers get to the spots of the Boko Haram Jihadists, the next thing is for the Jihadists to ask them: “is there any infidel (Christian girl or woman) in the car?” Then they will just handover them to BH. The Fulani guy told me that in his presence they took Christian girls from the car. The girls were shouting as they were being taken towards the unsafe road but nobody cared. They do no harm to Muslim women and girls and once they are identified, they will be taken back to where they were brought from. On the other hand, about ten churches have been taken over by BH in our area (Yobe). In Babangida area, we used to have five churches, three at Dapchi, one at Sudande and two in Gujuba. These churches included four ECWA, three Living Faith churches, two Deeper Life churches, one Catholic Church and one Good News International church. All have been closed because of Boko Haram Jihadists. Source: Rev Dr. Ahaz Yaye: July 2020.

“Shocking Statistics: 8,370 EYN Members Killed By BH Since 2009: EYN--Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) was established at Garkida, Adamawa State, by the Brethren Christian missionaries from the United States of America on March, 17, 1923. The church is presently estimated to have population of 1.5 million communicant members and it is the single Christian denomination that is worst hit by the activities of the Boko Haram. Over 700,000 members have been displaced with only seven out of its 60 District Church Councils not directly affected by the insurgency. EYN has lost over 8,370 members and 8 pastors, with the numbers increasing on a daily basis. Many of her members have been abducted, with 217 out of the abducted 276 Chibok school girls belonging to EYN. Over 300 of the 586 churches of EYN have been either burnt or destroyed, with uncountable numbers of houses belonging to its members looted or burnt. These were disclosed in a world press conference addressed on 2^nd July 2020 in Yola, Adamawa State by President of the EYN, Rev Joel Billi.

“Renewed Jihadism Sweeping & Uprooting Christian Parts Of Africa: As never recorded in recent times, Islamic Jihadism is now ravaging the Christian West, East, Central and Southern Africa. It looks like a regional project with powerful sponsorship and state protection where jihadist elements are in charge of political and military powers. Today in Congo DRC, a country with largest Catholics in Africa, there is ongoing jihad. In Central African Republic, a country with dominant Christian population, jihadists are substantially in charge. Similar situations are found in Burkina Faso, Angola, Mozambique, Congo Republic and Togo; to mention but a few. Like in Libya in 1969 and Sudan in 1989, the jihadists are penetrating and gaining grounds, aiming at capturing state power and changing the socio-legal secular status quo to brutal Sultanate and Shariah regimes; putting Christians and other faith members and their democratic and pacifism cultures at high risk.

“Nigeria’s Jihadist Groups Expanding & Building Alliances: Nigeria is internationally known to host four major Jihadist groups, namely: Jihadist Boko Haram, Jihadist ISWAP, Jihadist Ansaru, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Jihadist “Bandits”. But presently, their numbers have swollen and increased with rapid speed. The Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen have expanded to include: Jihadist ‘indigenous’ Fulani Herdsmen, Jihadist ‘foreign’ Fulani Herdsmen and ‘Jihadist Shuwa Arabs. Jihadist Boko Haram terrorists have also expanded to include: Shekau’s faction or Jama’atu Ahlussunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, ISIL-controlled faction of same Boko Haram, Asaru (movement for protection of Muslims in black Africa) and ISWAP (Islamic Movement in West Africa Province).

“Jihadist ‘Zamfara Bandits’, on their part, have expanded into various autonomous groups operating in Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto, Katsina, Niger State, etc; targeting indigenous and traveler Christians (inter faith jihadism) and indigenous Hausa Muslim population (intra faith jihadism). All these jihadist groups in Nigeria, now numbering not less than 20 are controlled by indigenous and foreign Fulani, imported Shuwa Arabs and indigenous Kanuri; with some foot soldiers drawn from youths who grew up from the abandoned Northern street children or ‘Alamajirai’. Among them, too, the Jihadist Herdsmen are heavily protected by the present central Government and its security forces and treated as ‘untouchables’.

“The present central Government itself and its security forces is brutally asymmetrically structured, with some say, ‘90% Muslim controlled’. This has further emboldened the Jihadists and aided deterioration of jihadist violence and terrorism in Nigeria, to the extent that apart from the Jihadist groups growing rapidly, they have also gone into formidable alliances. This was made public on 15^th June 2020 by Boko Haram through a video first released on the night of Monday, June 15, 2020, wooing armed groups in the North West and North Central. The 13 minutes 49 seconds video, exclusively obtained by HumAngle, shows four speakers addressing viewers in English, Hausa, Fulfulde and French, appealing to people in Zamfara and Niger States to strive harder in the cause of Allah

“Freedom Of Worship & Religion Gravely Undermined In Nigeria: Right to freedom of worship and religion is fully guaranteed in Nigeria by Sections 10 (prohibition of adoption of any religion as a state religion) and 38 (right to freedom of religion, conscience and thought including freedom of any citizen to voluntarily change his or her religion) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. Same rights are also guaranteed by the country’s Treaty Laws & Protocols including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, the Int’l Covenant on Civil & Political Rights of 1976 and the Int’l Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1976; all ratified by Nigeria in 1993.

“The most important of the country’s Treaty Laws and Protocols guaranteeing religious freedoms including right to freedom of worship is the African Charter on Human & Peoples Rights of 1981 (ratified and domesticated by Nigeria in 1983). The right to freedom of religion and worship as the world’s first human right was first proclaimed through ‘the Edit of Milan in 313 AD’. Sadly, these inalienable rights have been brutally undermined and observed in grave breach in Nigeria.

“We Have Credible Evidence Linking Christian Fanatics To Property Violence Against Traditionalists: Credible evidence abounds exposing series of property violence by Christian fanatics (clergymen and their followers from Catholic, Anglican and Pentecostal Churches and their offshoot ‘Ministries’ including “Catholic Adoration Ministries” and “Charismatic Renewals”) against traditional religionists in Nigeria particularly in Igbo Land. Such property violence includes attacks on traditionalists’ sacred places of worship and destruction of their religious symbols. Such unlawful acts are very common among ‘faith profiteers’ and ‘born again “crusaders” or fanatics. Their property violence against traditional worshippers has led to destruction, or burning, or carting away of tens of thousands of traditional religious symbols and takeover and possession of thousands of their lands and sacred places of worship.

“It must be strongly pointed out that Intersociety is strongly opposed to all forms of religious violence including atrocities against members of any religion and their properties and symbols. No member of any religion is permitted by local and international laws to engage in crimes against persons and crimes against properties in the name of propagating or professing any religion. That is to say that Christians as today’s victims of Islamic Jihadists’ persecution in Nigeria or any part thereof must at all times refrain from toeing same or similar path by persecuting traditional religionists or undermining the sacred traditional institutions. Governments and law enforcement agencies are created and put in place to checkmate religious practitioners who operate outside the confines of the written local and international laws. In law, too, it must be reminded that ‘sins’ and ‘crimes’ are not the same and any religious practitioner who “punishes” another for self-interpreted “sinful act” is committing a crime against the state.

“Thanking President Donald Trump & The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group: Int’l Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law is sincerely thanking President Donald Trump and the good people of the United States concerning the 2^nd June 2020 Executive Order made by the President for the Advancement of International Religious Freedoms. Commendable, too, was the joining of the United States by 26 other global countries in a new International Religious Freedom Alliance, back in February 2020, for purpose of reducing religious persecution across the globe particularly in Nigeria. Our thanks also go to Hon Jim Shannon (MP) –led All-Party Parliamentary Group for Int’l Freedom of Religion or Belief of the UK’s House of Commons concerning their special report: Nigeria: Unfolding Genocide? (June 15, 2020). We thank them for standing for the persecuted Christians in Nigeria and their courageous resolve to continuously push globally for the advancement of religious freedoms including freedom of worship in Nigeria or any part thereof.

“Thanking Leaders Of SOKAPU, Adara, Middle Belt And Plateau Forums & EYN Church: Our special thanks also go to the Jonathan Asake led Southern Kaduna People’s Union, the Awema Dio Maisamari led Adara Dev Association, the Pogu Bitrus led Middle Belt Forum, the Goodman Dahida led Tiv Cultural & Social Association in Taraba State, the Rev Joel Billi led Church of Brethren in Nigeria (EYN) and leaders of various Plateau indigenous Christian communities for boldly speaking out concerning the ordeal facing their fellow Christian populations in Northern Nigeria. They are called upon not to rest on their oars until the calamitous atrocities are frontally addressed and ended.

“Christian Post, Jihad Watch, Genocide Watch, Morning Star & Others Commended: We remain grateful to Christian Post Int’l in particular for their tireless efforts at ending the persecution of Christians and ensuring respect for religious freedoms around the world particularly in Nigeria through its professional and consistent monitoring and reports. Similar efforts by other international news media and organizations campaigning for persecuted Christians around the world particularly in Nigeria are highly commendable.

“Some of them worthy of mention and commendation include the Genocide Watch, the Jihad Watch, the Christian Today, the Christian Persecution, the Catholic News Agency, the ACI-Africa, the Premier Christian News, the Anglican Mainstream News, the European Post, the Christian News Now, the Believers’ Portal, the Christian Solidarity Worldwide; to name but few. The Nigerian media is also commended particularly The Sun Newspaper, the Voice, the News Express, the Daily Post, the ThisDay, the Elomba Reports, the News Critic, the Global Sentinel, The Trent, the Odogwu Reports, the Sundiata Post, The Legit, the Opera News, the NairaLand, The Guardian, The Authority, the Point Blank News, The Independent Newspaper and thousands of social media platforms, as well as all our followers, allies, partners, supporters, the EkweNche Research Institute, the AlaIgbo Dev Foundation, friends and well wishers. These are in addition to those not remembered.”

•PHOTO: Protesting under-age children orphaned by Jihadist Herdsmen killings in Benue State, North-Central Nigeria. The photos were taken during the 27^th May 2020 World’s Children’s Day

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