Nigeria: In the Face of Ongoing Islamist Attacks, the Faith is Growing

Aid to the Church in Need ^ | 2/12/18

[marshmallow]

THE NIGERIAN government has begun to regain control over areas that had been occupied by Islamist terror organization Boko Haram; yet, attacks on Christians and their communities continue to take place regularly, particularly in the northeastern part of the country.

Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso of Kaduna, last fall visited his former Diocese of Maiduguri, which was not long ago still the heart of Boko Haram territory. Just days after his visit, an attack left numerous dead and wounded. “Attacks such as these make our day-to-day lives very uncertain,” the archbishop told us.

Boko Haram may be diminished, but its reign of terror has left a deep wound. By official estimates, there are almost 1.8 million Internally Displaced People in Nigeria; that figure grew by at least 140,000 last year alone due to ongoing attacks, many of them perpetrated by suicide bombers who blow themselves up in marketplaces, and in churches or mosques.

The archbishop explained: “Terrorist groups pretend they would like to pray. They mingle among those gathered in places where one would normally not suspect bomb attacks—this spreads great confusion.” According to the prelate, among the greatest problems today are abductions and demands for ransom payments.

Aside from Boko Haram, other Islamic groups have in the meantime also become radicalized, including members of the Fulani, a nomadic, pastoral people. It has raised suspicion that they are outfitted with modern weapons, which suggest that “powerful forces with connections to terrorist organizations such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda are behind groups such as these,” Archbishop Ndagoso said.

However, no matter how hard Christians are hit by the attacks, “they just grow stronger in their faith,” the archbishop stressed. Not only has the number of seminarians grown, there has been an increase in the overall Christian population has grown significantly.

[billorites]

Pope Francis is one odd duck.

[hinckley buzzard]

?? The Nigerian Church is Church of England, not Catholic. Pope has no say there. The bishops are Oxford educated scholars, devout, and very conservative. They are not in fear of martyrdom. That is why the African Church is exploding in numbers even in the shadow of Islamic violence.

[Garvin]

GOoD verses evil, not a hard choice.

[chulaivn66]

By the end of February we will have shipped 30 volumes of Grade 1 Uncontracted Braille I Chronicles to Wukari, Tara State, Nigeria. Each 10”x12” volume consists of eighty-four double-sided pages. The work is completed by volunteers over the age of sixty-five including one WWII veteran machine gunner who landed at Normandy and made it to Berlin. Our unit is one of many. Knowledge vs bullets. The Word is powerful and hopefully, over time, it’s spread will bring an end to stories as the one linked below from this region.

https://wapsammy.blogspot.com/2014/04/scores-killed-in-taraba-attack.html

[Salvation]

This is a Catholic Archdiocese.

[Salvation]

Pray the Rosary!

Nigeria: In the Face of Ongoing Islamist Attacks, the Faith is Growing
US Promises to Help Nigeria Exterminate Boko Haram
Is This Bishop Right about the Rosary Conquering Boko Haram? [Catholic Caucus]
Why Boko Haram and ISIS Target Women
Report reveals scale of Boko Haram violence inflicted on Nigerian Catholics
Military evacuating girls, women rescued from Boko Haram
Echos of Lepanto Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Harm
After vision of Christ, Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Haram (Catholic Caucus)
Nigerian Bishop Says Christ Showed Him How to Beat Islamic Terror Group

[Salvation]

Picture of seminarians from this Archdiocese.

[blackpacific]

Is Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme an Anglican?