On 17 July 2010, Christian villagers in Mazah, a small village near Jos, Nigeria, woke up to gunfire in the night...
On 17 July 2010, Christian villagers in Mazah, a small village near Jos, Nigeria, woke up to gunfire in the night. As they ran out of their homes in fear, they were butchered by extremist Islamists armed with machetes. At least eight villagers were killed and ten houses burnt down. The pastor of COCIN Church lost his wife, two daughters and his grandson, who was burnt alive in the house after it was set on fire. The pastor’s church was also completely destroyed. Please see below for details of who to write to about this.
Recent increase in attacks
Jos and its surrounding areas have seen an increase in tension and violence in the last ten years. The attack on Mazah follows an increase in such attacks recently:
- On 17 January 2010, extremists attacked worshippers at an ECWA Church in Jos Jarawa. This violence spread over twenty different communities. It was reported that Muslim soldiers deployed to control the violence joined in the attacks against local Christians.
- On 7 March 2010, extremists attacked Dogo-Nahawa, leaving over 500 people brutally murdered. Many were decapitated, scalped and had their hands and feet cut off. Survivors told The Times that entire families were killed, some to chants of Allahu Akbar.
- On 17 March 2010, extremists attacked the village of Dogo na hauwa, to the southeast of Jos city centre, leaving fifteen houses burnt, eight people killed and four admitted to hospital. The mutilated victims included four children and three women.
- This July 2010, the Stefanos Foundation has recorded attacks at Chawai, where seven people were killed, and at Wukari, where thirty three people were killed.
Background
Islam spread through Nigeria from the north of the country which is now predominantly Muslim. The south of Nigeria is still predominantly Christian. At the country’s independence from British rule, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto State, was quoted to have said that Muslims would not stop their pursuit until they dip the Quran into the Atlantic Ocean. Many fear that these attacks demonstrate a renewed effort by some Muslim extremists to make Islam the dominant religion in Nigeria.
These regular, violent attacks started happening in Nigeria following the implementation of sharia law in twelve of the northern Nigerian states, a process which started in 1999 with Zamfara State. Following this, northern Muslim political and religious leaders established the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, an organisation designed to promote the adoption of sharia in other Nigerian states. Christian groups in the southern half and middle belt of the country reacted sharply at the time to what they perceived as a Muslim effort to lay the foundations for an Islamic state.
On 21 February 2000, violent clashes broke out in the city of Kaduna, the second largest city in northern Nigeria, following a march by tens of thousands of Christians to protest against the proposal to introduce sharia law as the criminal code throughout Kaduna State. It was reported that more than four hundred people were killed as a result of the clashes. Unlike most northern states, Kaduna has roughly equal numbers of Christians and Muslims. Non-Muslims are barred from being judges, prosecutors, and lawyers in the courts to which they may be subject. In some states Muslims are now subject to sharia even if they prefer civil courts that have protections under Nigeria's bill of rights.
In an interview in 2009 with Premier Christian Radio, Sheikh Dr Muhammad Al-Hussaini, founder of Scripture Reasoning and Lecturer in Islamic Studies at Leo Beck Rabbinical College, said that the failure of the church leadership to speak out on Christian persecution is to blame, because it ‘simply doesn’t care’ and only offers a ‘whimper’ in response to incidents:
“The one thing we Muslims can absolutely rely upon is that whereas the tiniest thing kicks off in Gaza or the West Bank and there are protests in Muslim cities all the way from Jakarta to Timbuktu, in the case of persecuted Christian minorities—horrendous machete attacks take place in Nigeria, Christians in Iraq are burned out of their houses, Christians in Pakistan are stoned or attacked on the slightest pretext, Christians in Palestine suffer under Israeli occupation—in all cases what we will hear is just a whimper.”
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, who has recently returned from a visit to the area where the attacks occurred, said:
“The situation is very delicate and tensions are running high. Whatever grievances Muslims have with the government should not be taken out on defenceless Christians in the villages and settlements. It would be good for partners in the church and state to develop an early warning system to prevent attacks. We need to continue to pray for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in that area, and express solidarity by visiting them and making sure that their basic needs, such as food and shelter, are met. I urge Christians to work with the agencies who are partners with the Christians in Nigeria.”
Ade Omooba, co-founder of Christian Concern for our Nation, commented: “This appalling attack deeply saddens us. Christians in Nigeria should not have to live under the continued threat of violence and persecution from extremists. We call on the Nigerian Government to do everything possible to protect the vulnerable and restore law and order in these areas.”
Action
If you would like to protest against these latest killings then please write to:
H.E. Dr. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida
High Commissioner
Nigerian High Commission
9 Northumberland Avenue
London
WC2N 5BX
When writing, please mention the following:
- Please express your deep concern at the continuing violence in central Nigeria, especially in light of the recent attack on Christian villagers in Mazah, which led to eight deaths.
- Please urge that the perpetrators of these vicious attacks are held accountable and that the victims will receive swift and adequate compensation.
- Please ask him to call upon the Federal and State authorities of Nigeria to take speedy and decisive action to restore peace and harmony in the area, and to do everything they can to prevent further violence against Christians.
- Please remind him that Nigeria is a constitutional democracy and party to several international covenants on human rights.
- Please ask him to forward your concerns to the President of Nigeria.
Agencies who work in this area:
Release International
HART
Open Doors
Sources:
Related Stories:
The Weekly Standard – Radical Islam in Nigeria
CCFON: Eight Christians burnt to death by Muslims in Pakistan
CCFON: Unprecedented wave of assaults on churches in Malaysia over the word 'Allah'
CCFON: Christian Councillor receives internet death threat over mega-mosque
CCFON: Christian Minister assaulted by Muslims in London
CCFON: There are at least 85 sharia 'courts' operating in Britain, says think-tank
CCFON: Muslim gangs imposing sharia law in British prisons
CCFON: Imam blames Christian leaders for the persecution of Christians
Photos from the Mazah attack:
