We Need to Pray for Our Brothers and Sisters in Nigeria

SUMMARY: More than 30 people were killed and another 74 injured when five bombs exploded in the Nigerian city of Jos on Christmas Eve.  Although no group has taken credit for the blasts, authorities received threatening letters from radical Muslims in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Jos is located on the invisible line dividing Northern Nigeria (mostly Muslim) from Southern Nigeria (most Christian). In the past few years, hundreds of Christians and Muslims have been killed in and around this city. According to Human Rights Watch, “more than 13,500 people have died [in Nigeria] in religious and ethnic clashes since the end of military rule in 1999.” On Christmas Eve 2010, five bombs went off in Jos, killing 31 and injuring 74. “Most of the injured have serious wounds,” one report stated. Although no group has claimed responsibility, authorities suspect Muslim extremists. “For long, they have been threatening to use violence against Christians,” an official admitted. “In recent weeks, the governor’s office had received letters purported to be from some Muslim organizations threatening to attack Christians. The security officials didn’t take the threat letters seriously.” Despite increased police patrols and additional checkpoints in the region, the government admitted a “lapse in security” and said the task force assigned to peacekeeping in Jos failed to perform as expected. Nigeria is number 27 on the Open Doors World Watch List of worst persecutors of Christians in the world. WIN partners pray for Nigeria on Day 29 of the Window International Network Praying Through the Window 9: Global Terrorism and World Religions prayer calendar. For the rest of the post…