A non-governmental organisation, Stefanos Foundation, is reporting that the terrorist group, Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), has killed three Christians in Borno State.
Recall that elsewhere in Africa, the ISIS claimed responsibility for a brutal attack in the Masala area of Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which left more than 60 Christians dead.
The terrorist group made the claim through a post on its Telegram channel, stating: “Central African state: More than 60 Christians were killed, including a Congolese army officer, in an attack by Caliphate soldiers in eastern Congo.”
In Nigeria, Stephanos reports that on June 4 2024, two images surfaced, allegedly shared by the ISIS terrorist group through its media outlet, Amaq news Agency.
One of the photos showed three men tied and kneeling down with three gun men behind them, while another showed three bodies falling amidst thick smoke.
According to reports, the three men, were abducted, the previous day, the 3rd of June 2024, while they were traveling through Yobe State.
Rev. Ibrahim Abako, Secretary of the Yobe State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, confirmed the deaths in an interview with a Nigerian news outlet.
The Rev. said, “On behalf of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Yobe State chapter, we condemn in totality the killing of three Christian youth along Damaturu-Biu Road Federal Highway,”.
Stefanos Foundation expressed deep sadness by this news, disturbed that in 2024, terrorists are still boldly carrying out attacks and are even boldly broadcasting the images, is heart wrenching.
“While we continue to hope that the government will one day halt this madness, we will continue to mourn with the affected families and pray for God’s comfort in these difficult times”, the foundation said.
Recent Islamist attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have intensified, particularly in the eastern regions of the country.
A recent attack by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militia affiliated with ISIS, resulted in the deaths of at least 14 Catholics.
The massacre, which occurred in the town of Eringeti, involved the victims being killed with machetes and rifles. Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano reported that the victims were “many of them very young” and were targeted for “refusing to convert into Islam.”
Pope Francis condemned the killings in a May 25 statement, calling the actions of the victims “a testimony of martyrdom that a group of Catholics from Congo, from North Kivu, have given in recent days.”
This incident is part of a larger pattern of violence against Christians in the region. On May 13, another attack in the village of Ndimbo in Ituri Province left at least 11 Christians dead, with many others kidnapped and homes set ablaze.
