Nigeria: One of the "Worst Places" for Christians

Thursday, February 12, 2015

By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent

ABUJA (Worthy News)-- The author of a report documenting the global persecution of Christians has concluded that Nigeria is one of the worst places for them to reside, according to Christian Today.

Raymond Ibrahim's monthly "Muslim Persecution of Christians" report has documented Islam's persecution of Christians since July 2011.

Ibrahim reported that more than 1,000 churches have been destroyed in a four-year period by the Islamist Boko Haram; the group destroyed 200 churches in northeastern Nigeria in just three months.

Violence against Christians had dramatically increased after the 2011 election of Goodluck Jonathan -- a Christian candidate who defeated his Muslim rival for the presidency of Nigeria -- thanks in large part to a "campaign of terror" launched by Haram, according to human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe.

Ogebe had predicted that the scheduled Feb. 14 elections in Nigeria would be "a Valentine's Day massacre for the poor Christians in northern Nigeria," so the election was pushed back by six weeks.

Candidates for the election include the incumbent Christian president.