Muslims were the majority in his region. Sani said he burned down churches, more than he can count, in the name of Allah at the direction of his father.
During Ramadan, the holiest holiday to Muslims, Sani and others were in a mosque praying on a most unusual day. Christians were yelling outside the church.
Sani became enraged. He and his friends sought out a church that night, determined to burn it as payback for the Christians’ disrespect. Sani broke from his group, sprinting ahead so that he could be the first to light the blaze.
Just as he reached the building, he stopped. He began to hear voices talking about “this Jesus,” as he calls him. He ran back home. He read the Koran, trying to find out more about “this Jesus.” He was confused.
Sani soon felt the pull of Christianity. He said he felt that for the first time he understood truths.
Out of fear, he waited a few days before telling his father of his conversion. Finally, the moment came. His father denounced him. He ordered the villagers to execute his first son. Sani ran.
He eventually reached a Christian boarding facility five hours away — and later met Ohonme.
* * *
Sani, 27, wants to go to on this trip [to Nigeria], but the necessary paperwork may not be approved in time. In truth, he’s scared to return. He assumes that his father thinks he has died. He’s not sure what would happen should his father find out he’s in Nigeria. He hasn’t spoken to anyone in his family in nine years, but he’s tired of running.
More peaceful behavior from practitioners of the religion of peace?
That's the only language islamists will understand.
Damned islamists.