NIGERIA

A band of Muslim extremists in Lagos state has pronounced a death sentence on a Christian family and assaulted the father because his daughter allegedly sold pork, contrary to strict Islamic law. On July 15th, militants came to the family patriarch's home looking for his 16-year-old daughter, Bridget Osagie. Not finding her, they beat her 57-year-old father, Emma Osagie. The Osagie family denies Bridget sold pork which is against Shariah Law. At the time of the original allegation in 1993, she was just 4 years old. In any event, Shariah is not in effect in Lagos state. Osagie has reported the assault to police and petitioned the Nigerian government, but officials have done nothing. The extremists vowed to return. (Click here)

Pray God will protect this innocent family. Pray the Holy Spirit will move in loving power to make Lagos state safe for all Christians. Pray the Lord will reveal Himself to the Muslim extremists involved in this incident, bringing them to repentance and salvation.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Christian family ambushed in Nigeria
Brought to you by The Voice of the Martyrs



Davou Bulle, his wife, and their 10 children each climbed into the van, exhausted from another full day of work on their family's farm. He started to pull away but was soon jarred to attention by the sound of gunshots hitting the tires. They were being ambushed because of his faith!

The Muslim attackers soon aimed their weapons at the driver, in hopes to first kill the Christian "infidel" then kill his entire family. In an attempt to protect his father, son Gyan lunged at the bullets to shield him, but the bullets found their way to their intended target, killing Davou. Gyan trying to help his father took 14 bullets during the ambush. Davou's wife Mary was hit in the eye during the attack.
Mary was taken into surgery immediately. She lost one of her eyes as a result of the attack. Son Gyan was also operated on, removing all 14 bullets from his body, miraculously he survived! Davou left behind a wife and 10 children.

More than 10,000 Christians have been killed since 1999 in Nigeria and nearly 1,000 homes and churches have been burned down by Muslim radicals-all because of their faith in Jesus Christ. VOM has opened up a center in Jos, Nigeria for the purpose of helping Christian widows who have lost their husbands at the hands of Muslim fanatics. This center will help these widows develop a trade in sewing or computers so they can support themselves and their children who were left behind.

If you are not currently receiving The Voice of the Martyrs monthly newsletter, please take this special opportunity to request your free subscription. Simply click on the link below to subscribe. This award-winning newsletter reveals the truth on today's persecution of Christians, highlights some of the most courageous stories you will ever read, and give practical ways you can be involved. Don't let those like Mary suffer in silence.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Church and government leaders in Northern Nigeria are growing restless over President Olusegun Obasanjo's failure to prevent Northern states from using Shariah Law to persecute Christians. Nigeria's Northern Christian leaders have demanded that Obasanjo's government put a stop to the Islamic law practiced in 12 Northern states. Saidu Dogo, secretary general of the northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said the organization has written Obasanjo about Muslims demolishing church buildings, rejecting applications to build new churches and denying land to Christians. "Yet, we see mosques being built on every corner of the streets-you don't even need government approval in these states to build mosques," Dogo told Compass. In Jos, capital of central Nigeria's Plateau state, Gov. Joshua Dariye spoke out against Islamic abuses resulting from Shariah law when he received the governor of Zamfara state, the first state to adopt Shariah in 2000.

Pray our merciful God will give President Obasanjo wisdom, direction and courage in putting a stop to the use of Shariah Law in Northern Nigeria. Pray the witness of born-again believers will change the hearts of Muslim extremists and bring them into God's Kingdom.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Rejoice Gwammikat Daniel Chirdap, the 16-year-old who disappeared during a visit to her father's house in Kagadama, Yelwa, has been returned to her family. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports that Rejoice disappeared on September 12, 2005. Two days later her family received a letter from the Bauchi State Shari'ah Commission informing them it had given custody of Rejoice to Imam Yakubu of Kagadama, Yelwa. There has been no explanation as to how Rejoice, a minor, came to be in the Commission's hands without parental consent. CSW states that following widespread publicity and high-level advocacy on Rejoice's disappearance, the Bauchi State Police Force finally took action on September 23rd. "They intervened decisively and the Bauchi State Shari'ah Commission handed Rejoice over to her family. Although somewhat traumatized by her experience, a medical examination revealed that Rejoice was otherwise unharmed," CSW said.

Give thanks to our merciful Father that Rejoice was returned to her family unharmed. Praise God that the international publicity and prayers of thousands of Christians caused the Bauchi State Shari'ah Commission to act on her behalf. Pray God will also grant His mercy to all those who persecute Christians in Nigeria, bringing them into His loving arms and eternal Kingdom.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Christians in the rural areas of Kano are afraid to send their children to public schools, fearing they will be forced to convert to Islam. Students are being forced to study Arabic, Islam, and say Islamic prayers. Moreover, Christian leaders report the government refuses to grant churches permission to establish schools in rural areas. "The strategy is to force Christians to send their children to public schools so they can be forced to become Muslims," said Rev. Murtala Marti Dangora, secretary of the Kano district of the Evangelical Church of West Africa. Rev. Dangora, a former Muslim, said there are still numerous cases of persecution in the state; in one case, 15 Christians were forced to flee Banda village because of Muslim antagonism. Another Christian leader noted that Christians in Kano state have lost religious liberty and are seen as second-class citizens.

Pray Christians worldwide will lift these members of the Body of Christ before His Throne. Pray God will hear their cry and work a miracle of His grace to allow believers in Nigeria to worship freely. Pray many Muslim authorities will seek the true God who loves them and grieves for their lost souls.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Sardauna Anaruwa Sashi, once a devout Muslim, became a faithful follower of Christ earlier this year. Having learned of his conversion, the police apprehended him on September 21st. According to an October 31st report by Compass Direct, during four days of detention, the 30-year-old resident of Paiko was severely tortured. He claims that at one point police beat him with their batons and almost killed him. It was only through the intervention of his pastor and a lawyer from his church that he was released. Since he has become an "infidel" in the eyes of his Muslim employer, he can no longer care for their cattle. Besides the loss of income he faces, Sashi's pastor has said that the Muslims will also never abandon their resolve to kill him. Sashi has reportedly received death threats since his release. While he fears for his life and the lives of his wife and relatives who have also turned to Christ, he testifies he will never recant. Paiko is located in Niger state, one of Nigeria's Northern states where Shariah Law has been imposed.

Pray the Lord will strengthen Sashi's faith as He provides for his needs. Pray God will help his wife and family members remain true to the Lord. Pray the love and power of the Holy Spirit will take away the resolve in the Muslims' hearts to see Sashi killed.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Having planted a church of 300 former Muslims, the Rev. Murtala Marti Dangora knows what it's like to be a high-profile target of religious intolerance. He has been under a death sentence since converting from Islam 25 years ago, and for almost as long, authorities have refused to grant official approval of his Evangelical Church of West Africa congregation. He has been detained, dragged to court, and publicly assaulted for receiving Christ. He said, "Despite my ordeals, I have never regretted becoming a Christian.... I thank God that I got saved.... I now have light in my heart."

Give thanks to God He has protected Rev. Dangora and allowed him to speak to many Muslims of the love of Christ. Pray He will continue to guard this faithful servant. Please join with Rev. Dangora in his prayer "that my other Muslim relatives will come to know Christ as the only true God and Savior of the world."

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

The past four years have been a jumble of tears and pain for Ishaya Kpotun Shaba of Niger state in north central Nigeria. He has not set his eyes on his daughter, Saratu, since she was abducted in December 2001, at age 19 by extremists bent on converting and marrying her to a Muslim. When Shaba reported the kidnapping to the Maikunkele town police, officials showed no interest in rescuing his daughter. Instead, to Shaba's shock and disbelief, he was summoned to appear before an Islamic court in Minna on January 9, 2002. The Upper Area Court judge informed him in the summons his daughter had requested he allow her to "embrace the religion of her choice." Shaba showed up at court but never saw his daughter. Instead, the judge called him into his chambers and told him that his daughter was now a Muslim, therefore, he was summoned to an Islamic court. Later, he heard his daughter was forced to marry a Muslim man in Minna, the state capital. As in other Nigerian states where Islamic law has been imposed, Muslims insist they will not apply it to Christians who have found out just how painfully false that claim can be. Shariah helps government officials jail Christians without cause, limit their job prospects, remove their church buildings, and force their daughters to marry Muslims. In a state where the population is roughly divided between Muslims and Christians, Islamists have taken a deliberate stab at religious domination and largely succeeded.

Pray God will work a wonder of His love to comfort Shaba. Pray the Lord will give Saratu an extreme devotion to Jesus and she will continue strong in her faith and witness of His merciful love. Pray Nigerian Muslims will seek to learn more about Jesus.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

A nursing school was recently closed down following the suspected kidnapping of a Christian student by Islamic militants on Friday (February 10th). The extremists had accused Ladi Mohammed, a female student of the School of Nursing and Midwifery in the capital city of northern Nigeria’s Sokoto state, of blasphemy against the prophet Mohammed. "For this reason, the militants, who threatened to cut off her head, hunted and kidnapped her after she fled from the school," said John Usman, a Christian student at the institution. School authorities closed the school for security reasons. They had already expelled Mohammed from the institution last week for the alleged remarks. School authorities would not say what she uttered to elicit such a harsh reaction from the Muslim students and institutional authorities. She is not with the police, and her parents have been searching for her.

Pray Jesus will surround Ladi Mohammed with the certainty of His calm and loving presence. Pray the police will make a serious effort to find her. Pray God will comfort her family and Christian friends with the knowledge that the battle is His.

_________________
"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

(Compass Direct/ASSIST News Service/Religion Today)
Christians and churches have been the subjects of recent violent attacks. Please pray for the following:


The Nigerian government last week said intelligence agents had found that Kano state in Northern Nigeria is asking foreign Islamic governments for help to train militants in"intelligence" and "the practice of jihad." (Compass Direct)
A Catholic priest and 50 other Christians were killed February 18th, when Muslim extremists, enraged by caricatures of the prophet Muhammad, burned 31 churches in two cities in Borno state. (ASSIST News Service)
Christian mobs in Onistsha attacked Muslim motorists and traders on February 22nd, leaving more than 30 people dead. (Religion Today)

Pray the Lord will comfort all those who mourn for their loved ones. Pray God will give all Christians in Nigeria His special power and grace to forgive their attackers. Pray God will convict the vengeful Christians of their betrayal of Jesus' love for them and all people.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

On February 23rd, Muslim rioters killed 10 Christians and set ablaze nine churches in Kontagora, Niger state, in Central Nigeria. The militants in Kontagora joined their counterparts in Northern Nigeria to protest what Muslims see as the blasphemy of the prophet of Islam, Mohammed, in cartoons published by a newspaper in Denmark. "The Muslim fanatics attacked Christians and burnt churches throughout the night," Joseph Bawa, a Christian resident of Kontagora, told Compass by telephone. The militants clubbed Bawa and his family. He said, "I was beaten up by these Muslims, it is only God that saved me--I would have been killed."

Continue to pray God will protect His followers from the spirit of violence sparked by the publication of the cartoons. Pray Jesus will comfort those mourning the loss of loved ones. Pray God will work a miracle of His love and power to break the spirit of violence in the hearts of fanatical Muslims, bringing them into His peaceful Kingdom.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

"If you are forcing me to marry a man who is a Muslim simply because of my decision to become a Christian, then I will rather have you kill me than accept to marry this man." These were the bitter words of Jamila Noma, now 16, to her father, Malam Noma, in an Islamic court two years ago in Jimeri village, Bauchi state of Northern Nigeria. The girl had been arrested by police and brought before an Islamic court on the orders of her father when she became a Christian and rejected his decision to marry her off to a Muslim man. These two years have left her in an uncertain situation. The court has not decided the case; she has been disowned by her father and has been forced out of the family home. Jamila is staying with her lawyer, Suleiman Wurno, who is trying legal means to stop her from being prosecuted. He also has enrolled her in vocational training to become a tailor.

Pray God will protect Jamila from harm and cause her case to be dismissed. Pray she will find employment as a tailor and the Lord will provide a Christian husband for her. Pray God will soften the heart of Jamila's father to accept his daughter and allow her to visit her family safely.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

The latest attack on the Rt. Rev. Ali Buba Lamido, 47-year-old Anglican Bishop of Wusasa diocese in Kaduna state, began as the past year's previous three did: armed men, whom he believes were Muslim militants, asked the guards at his home where he was, announcing they were going to kill him. This time, on March 10th, a guest of one of his guards was shot dead. The guard and another worker were seriously injured. The four attacks on his house since April 2005, have involved no attempted robbery. "It is difficult to believe it was not religiously motivated, because some bishops have been attacked and one priest was murdered in a similar way," he said. "And the killers never stole anything from their houses."

Pray God will continue to protect Bishop Lamido. Pray he will have the forgiving spirit of Christ toward the attackers and will encourage the Christian community to pray for their enemies. Pray the Holy Spirit will overcome the spirit of violence controlling the Muslims in Nigeria.

_________________
"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Young Christian Woman Eight Months in Hiding after Escape from Stoning – Compass Direct
Eight months after she escaped from a judgment by officials in Sokoto to be stoned to death for "blasphemy," 22-year-old Ladi Muhammed is still in hiding. Pray the Lord will keep her safe and give her the supernatural peace that comes from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Christians Attacked while Rebuilding Burnt Church - Compass Direct News
Christians in Nasarawa state were attacked by more than 200 Islamists as they were trying to rebuild a Reformed Church building that Muslims burnt down two years ago. The Nasarawa state government has since banned reconstruction of the facility. The church was planted more than a century ago by missionaries. Pray God encourages, protects and gives wisdom to believers in Nigeria as they find ways to rebuild their church. Acts 14: 21-23


_________________
"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.