Islamic Radicals Carry Out Execution-Style Murders of 20 Christians in Nigeria After Biden Takes Nigeria Off CPC List– ACLJ Filing FOIA To Find Out Why

By 

Jordan Sekulow

|
May 23, 2022

4 min read

Persecuted Church

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While the eyes of the world have been understandably focused on areas such as Ukraine and Russia, in Nigeria, innocent Christians are being MASSACRED.  So why did President Biden remove Nigeria from the Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) – a list of countries that engage in or tolerate systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom?

Radical Islamic groups like Boko Haram, a Nigerian terrorist militia that has sworn its loyalty to ISIS, are committing barbaric atrocities against Christians while the Nigerian government continues to do nothing.

Now we’ve learned that roughly 20 Christians were just slaughtered by members of Boko Haram. These innocent believers were forced to their knees and murdered from behind by cowards wearing masks.

According to one report:

ISIS extremists have callously executed 20 Christians in Nigeria in a bloodthirsty rampage to 'avenge the killing of the group's leaders in the Middle East'.

The terrorist group published footage of the ruthless killings, showing the masked knife and gun-wielding fanatics standing behind their kneeling victims.

The militants carried out the merciless executions in Borno state where rival Islamist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) have been abducting, looting and killing on a huge scale.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the brutal execution-style murders of these 20 Nigerian Christians, calling it a vengeance killing for the deaths of ISIS leaders in the Middle East. The Christians’ only “crime” was their belief in Jesus. Since, in the terrorists’ twisted logic, the “Christian” West is responsible for the ISIS leaders’ deaths, they then target and kill the Christians of Nigeria. The terrorists can spin it any way they want, but these were coldblooded murders by evil men.

This is hardly the first time such an atrocity has taken place in Nigeria. We’ve reported numerous horrific instances of targeted violence and murder committed by Islamic radicals. Nigerian Christians are living in a nightmare. Terrorists have ransacked and burned Christian villages, gunned down entire families, and even beheaded Christians. Innocent young girls have been abducted and sold as slaves, or worse.

As we stated in our submission to the U.N. Human Rights Council (HRC), instances of abductions and killings of Christians in Nigeria have been escalating at an alarming rate:

In fact, according to a recent NGO report, during the first four months of 2021 Islamic extremist groups, such as Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen, were responsible for the deaths of 1,470 Nigerian Christians and have abducted approximately 3,200 Nigerians, with 2,200 of those abducted being Christians.

Here at the ACLJ, we’re sick of reading report after report about murdered Christians in Nigeria. We’re taking action, demanding the entire world stand up and act. We’re about to deliver a CRITICAL written submission to the HRC, asking the group to intervene and force Nigeria to protect its own people – ALL of its people – not just Muslims.

Nigerian Christians need immediate protection and aid NOW, before it’s too late. And every one of these bloodthirsty terrorists must be captured and made to face justice.

The problem extends beyond the United Nations. Just as the Biden Administration abandoned Christians (and U.S. citizens) in Afghanistan, it has turned its back on Nigeria’s Christians as well. Remember how we told you that as Secretary of State under President Trump, ACLJ Senior Counsel for Global Affairs Mike Pompeo placed Nigeria on the CPC list, and actually credited the work of the ACLJ in the making of that decision.

President Biden has since removed Nigeria from that list. As reported at the time:

Nigeria, which is a hub of Boko Haram where approximately 43,000 Christians have reportedly been killed by Islamic terrorists in the past 12 years, was added to the list during the Trump administration but left off this year.

Why would they remove Nigeria from the list? By doing so, President Biden essentially told every terrified Christian in Nigeria that they’re on their own.

We are preparing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request right now to find out who exactly decided to leave Nigeria off of the watchlist, what their reasoning was (because there are at least another 20 people who would, if they could, say the danger to Christians has not subsided), and who else knew about it and/or wanted Nigeria removed from the list.

Enough is enough. The deadly violence against Christians in Nigeria and around the world has to stop NOW.  If the Nigerian government won’t intervene, then the international community has an obligation to step in.

As we prepare to go to the U.N., we need YOU with us. Help us SAVE INNOCENT CHRISTIANS. Sign our URGENT petition TODAY.