Ordinarily the persecution of Christians in Nigeria occurs at the hands of jihad terror groups such as Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen. In this case, however, the pastor was beaten for refusing to allow pagan rituals in his church. The harassment and brutalization of Christians takes place continues despite the fact that Christians are not an embattled minority in the country: Nigeria is divided roughly in half between the Muslims, who primarily live in the north, and Christians who live mostly in the south. In fact, Nigeria has the fifth-largest Muslim population and the sixth-largest Christian population in the world. There is a small and courageous number of Orthodox Christians in the country.
The Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, once again urgently implores the United Nations and the governments of all nations that are committed to human rights and religious freedom to make the plight of Nigeria’s Christians a top priority. Those Christians are walking the way of the Cross. May our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ also bless them with the joy of a resurrection and new flourishing of their communities.
For previous coverage of the persecution of Christians in Nigeria from ChristianPersecution.com, see here.
“Kogi: Youths beat Pastor to coma over refusal to allow Masquerade in Church,” by John Akinfehinwa, Daily Post, March 2, 2021:
Some angry youths numbering about 20 on Monday night beat to coma, the clergy in charge of United Evangelical Church, Pastor Michael Samson in Iyano community under Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State….
Trouble started when the pastor had during the day denied the youth’s access to the church with their Masquerade while they were performing a ceremony.
Angered by the pastor’s resistance, the youths came back angrily, fully kitted with dangerous objects to beat the pastor when he was fast asleep.
It was also gathered that the pastor is currently admitted at Idah general hospital.
“They wanted to perform to the gods of the land which we call “Ane” in Igala land. The pastor told them that this is not the right place to do it and they should leave. After leaving, they came back in the night fully kitted with dangerous objects to beat him to Coma.
“They were up to 20. We are praying right now that nothing should happen to our brother because he is currently in critical condition….
DAILY POST however gathered that the Police is on the trail of persons allegedly behind the act.
Photo By MOAdanu – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58228284
