Nigeria

Tuesday January 27, 2015

Slain Ministry Leader in Nigeria Mourned as Dedicated Servant to the Poor

JOS, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – Muslim Fulani herdsmen on Friday (Jan. 23) killed a father of two in Taraba state whose pastoral ministry had brought education, medicine and clothing to thousands of impoverished people, sources said.

Pastor Joshua Adah was returning to his mission station in Bantaje, a village near Jalingo, from an evangelistic outreach to some villagers when his vehicle broke down after he had gone to some villages for evangelistic outreach, a ministry supporter told Morning Star News. Armed, ethnic Fulani cattlemen had invaded area Christian communities last week.

Joseph Kwaji, a police spokesman for the Taraba State Command, confirmed that Muslim Fulani killed Pastor Adah. Area Christians spoke as if Boko Haram had a hand in the slaughter, as the Islamic extremist group and other terrorists from outside the state have in some cases supported and joined the Muslim herdsmen in their longstanding conflicts with primarily Christian farmers. [READ MORE]

Nigeria

Monday January 26, 2015

Faith of Christians in Niger Grows Stronger in Face of Unprecedented Violence

Churches could see further attacks as task of rebuilding begins.

By Our Nigeria Correspondent

JOS, Nigeria, January 23, 2015 (Morning Star News) – Christians in Niger are joyfully meeting in homes under police protection as they plan to rebuild church buildings and houses after attacks last weekend (Jan. 16-18) that were unprecedented in scale.

 

“Nothing of this magnitude has ever happened in this nation,” wrote one missionary couple in the capital, Niamey. “Nearly every church in the capital city of Niamey was burned or looted, along with some schools and orphanages and several other churches and Christian homes throughout the nation.”

 

Muslims protesting the depiction of the prophet of Islam in the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo destroyed 72 church buildings and killed at least 10 people in attacks that began in Zinder on Jan. 16 and hit Niamey the next day, according to Christian support organization Open Doors. A church leader today put the total of ruined church structures at 68, and a final count remained uncertain. [READ MORE]

 

News from the Frontlines

Thursday January 22, 2015

Imam in Uganda Allegedly Beats Daughter to Death for Converting to Christ

Father also seeks to kill her traumatized 12-year-old sister, sources say.

By Our East Africa Correspondent

NAIROBI, Kenya, January 21, 2015 (Morning Star News) – A 12-year-old girl who was hospitalized for two weeks after her Muslim father beat her and her sister for converting to Christ last month is traumatized after learning that her sister died from the assault, sources said.

 

Naigaga Saidah’s father, Imam Abudalah Ali of Bwita mosque in Kaliro District, allegedly beat to death her 15-year-old sister, Namugonya Jamirah, on Dec. 11 after the sisters put their trust in Christ at a five-day evangelistic event that ended that day. Beaten unconscious, Naigaga did not learn of her sister’s death until a pastor had transferred her to safety in another town on Jan. 7, sources said.

 

“Saidah needs prayers, trauma counseling and medication for the left side of her hip that was injured by the father,” a source whose name is withheld for security reasons told Morning Star News. [READ MORE]

News from the Frontlines

Tuesday January 20, 2015

Prison Time Withdrawn for Pastor in Bhutan Sentenced to Nearly Four Years

Sentence effectively reduced to a fine -- a bailable two years, four months.By Our Bhutan Correspondent
Pastor Tandin Wangyal. (Morning Star News)THIMPHU, Bhutan, January 20, 2015 (Morning Star News) – A court in Bhutan yesterday reduced a sentence of nearly four years in prison to a bailable 28 months for pastor Tandin Wangyal, resulting in the father of three remaining free to attend to his family and ministry.

More than 10 months after Pastor Wangyal was arrested for holding a public gathering in Samtse District, he was granted bail of $1,523 for a sentence reduced from three years, 11 months to two years and four months (and 11 days) in what sources said was a move by the judiciary to dispose of a conviction for which it had no evidence.

“It has been a miracle verdict for me,” a joyous Pastor Wangyal told Morning Star News by phone minutes after the verdict in Dorokha. “I was rather surprised that the court had reduced my sentence.” READ MORE

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