The victim’s associate Samuel Solomon enunciated the goal of attacks against Christians in Nigeria: “Pastor Makpa had no money, in fact, the community he is serving has no basic social services provided by the government. So, what were the herdsmen looking for? Definitely it couldn’t have been money, their mission was to obliterate the church.”
It is reassuring to see that “on Dec. 10 the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, issued a statement calling for investigation into crimes against humanity in Nigeria.” We urgently pray and hope that this will result in relief for Nigeria’s Christian community.
For previous coverage of the persecution of Christians in Nigeria from ChristianPersecution.com, see here.
“Fulani Herdsmen Kill Pastor, 3-Year-Old Son in Nigeria,” Morning Star News, May 30, 2021:
JOS, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – Fulani herdsmen in Niger state, Nigeria have shot to death a missionary and pastor and his 3-year-old son, sources said.
Leviticus Makpa, 39, had established a Christian school in Kamberi village, where he served as a pastor and church planter. His son, Godsend Makpa, was killed in the attack on his mission base on May 21.
“Our missionary brother, Pastor Leviticus Makpa, was shot dead with his son by Fulani bandits,” area resident Deborah Omeiza told Morning Star News in a text message. “His wife escaped with their daughter.”
A close associate of Pastor Makpa, Folashade Obidiya Obadan, said the pastor had texted her as herdsmen surrounded his house.
“Pastor Leviticus Makpa advised that I should not phone, as the herdsmen have surrounded his house and are attacking his mission base,” Obadan told Morning Star News. “I quickly sent airtime to him to enable him keep communicating with me. While I was waiting to hear from him, we began to pray for their protection.”
She and her husband learned of the deaths of the pastor and his son the next morning, she said.
“Soldier of Christ, Leviticus Makpa, one of my greatest 2021 blessings is to have met you,” she said in a tribute to the slain pastor. “Thank you for giving me the privilege to serve in my little way. What a life you lived, sir!”
Another close associate, Samuel Solomon, said in a tribute that herdsmen had attacked Pastor Makpa previously.
“Fulani bandits came against them, they hid in the cave to save their lives, and after they left, he went back to the field with his family; how many of us can do this?” Solomon said. “He eventually lost his life and that of his son; the wife and daughter escaped. He knew his life was at stake, but burden for souls won’t let him run away from the field.”
Pastor Makpa was serving in a remote village where education was lacking, he said.
“He established the only Christian school in the village and raised many souls,” Solomon said. “He came and attended the last Christian conference with us, and we had planned on how to adopt him as our missionary, but painfully he has joined the league of martyrs in Heaven. His blood will testify over the land and also against the insecurity of a corrupt Islamist government in Nigeria.”
Appealing for aid for the pastor’s widow and daughter, Solomon said the attack was part of an attempt to wipe out Christianity in the region.
“Pastor Makpa had no money, in fact, the community he is serving has no basic social services provided by the government. So, what were the herdsmen looking for?” he said. “Definitely it couldn’t have been money, their mission was to obliterate the church.”…
The U.S. State Department on Dec. 7 added Nigeria to its list of Countries of Particular Concern for engaging in or tolerating “systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom.” Nigeria joined Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan on the list.
In a more recent category of non-state actors, the State Department also designated ISWAP, Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, Al-Qaeda, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Greater Sahara, Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, and the Taliban as “Entities of Particular Concern.”
On Dec. 10 the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, issued a statement calling for investigation into crimes against humanity in Nigeria.
