NIGERIA – MOB DIVERTS ANGER TOWARDS CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

Eight Christian buildings, including seven churches, were torched in the Nigerian town of Kazaure, Jigawa State on Sunday 21 February. The violence followed a traffic dispute that led to the death of a man at the hands of a police traffic warden. Both men were Muslims. A crowd that had witnessed the incident stormed the local police station with the intention of setting fire to it, but they were prevented from doing so. Even though the dispute was not of a religious nature, the mob then vented their anger by torching a cluster of churches that were near the police station. The Emir of Kazaure appealed for peace and requested that people remain calm. He says that all losses will be compensated and that the perpetrators of this recent attack will be brought to justice. This violence comes just weeks after the rioting in Jos (Prayer Focus Update, February 2010), which left at least 300 people dead. • Pray that Christian places of worship in Nigeria will be safeguarded, and that the congregations of the damaged churches will still be able to meet to worship the Lord Jesus. Pray too that the authorities will bring to justice those responsible for the riots • Pray for our brothers and sisters living in the midst of such aggression and violence, that they may find strength in the Lord and grace to forgive their persecutors.