Nigeria Archives - Catholic Herald

Nigeria

‘Fulani association’ warns Christians in Nigerian state to close churches or risk attacks

December 03, 2021

Christians in Nigeria’s Zamfara State have been cautioned against public worship in churches lest they be attacked, abducted, and their places of worship torched. The warning, for which a “Fulani association” claims responsibility, is contained in a letter circulated by the office of the state police commissioner. “The command has already alerted its Divisions/Formations for

Religious freedom advocates ‘appalled’ as State Department removes Nigeria from watch list

November 19, 2021

After the U.S. State Department released its list of countries with the most egregious religious freedom violations this week, human rights advocates expressed shock that Nigeria was removed from this year’s list. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a statement on Nov. 17 saying that it was “appalled” at the State Department’s “unexplainable” decision

Nigeria: Stories of modern-day slavery (and the under-funded fight to end it)

July 29, 2021

Every year, thousands of Europe-bound Nigerian youths illegally travel along often-dangerous migration routes through the Sahara desert and across the Mediterranean Sea, voyaging on hapless boats, most intent on reaching Italy where they hope to make a better living. Their hopes often crumble like a house of cards.

279 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last week have been released

March 03, 2021

Hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped from a state boarding school in the north west Nigeria state of Zamfara last week have been released, a local official announced.

Nigerian bishop laments continuing insecurity since seminarian’s killing a year ago

February 16, 2021

Sokoto, Nigeria, Feb 15, 2021 / 07:19 pm MT (CNA).- One year after the burial of Michael Nnadi, an 18-year-old Nigerian seminarian abducted and killed by gunmen, the local bishop has indicated his sorrow at the lack of progress in preventing abductions and murders. “It is quite tragic that one year later, we are still

Outlook for Nigerian Christians is bleak in spite of escaped Chibok girls

February 02, 2021

At least one of 276 schoolgirls abducted from a boarding school seven years ago has escaped captivity, Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors UK and Ireland reports.

Government apathy encouraging abductions, says Nigerian Bishop

January 28, 2021

One of Nigeria's most senior bishops has blamed government apathy for the recent surge in abductions of the clergy.

Christians in Nigeria keep the faith amidst lingering insurgency and persecution

January 19, 2021

Nigeria is about evenly divided: a little more than half the country’s 206 million people are Muslim, a little fewer than half are Christian. In the northern part of the country, Islam stands as the dominant faith, while Christianity stands in the South – but most of the killings take place in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where the halves of the country meet. While religion was not originally an issue linked to conflict in Nigeria, it has risen to the fore.