For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth (2 Cor. 13:8).
By National Prayer Altar
Richard G. Hovannisian defines denial as the final stage of a genocidal process and the erasing of the memories of the victim group. He adds: “Following the physical destruction of a people and their material culture, memory is all that is left and is targeted as the last victim. Complete annihilation of a people requires the banishment of recollection and suffocation of remembrance. Falsification, deception and half-truths reduce what was, to what might have been, or perhaps, what was not at all.”
In 1945, at the end of the Second World War, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, upon entering a concentration camp in Germany, and seeing the horrors of the holocaust said, *”Get it all on record now – get the films – get the witnesses – because somewhere down the track of history some bastard will get up and say that this never happened”*
Denying genocide is the hallmark of mass murderers or intending ones. After committing the crime, they deny that genocide was committed. It came as no surprise, therefore, when a former Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said, on 14th December 2005, that “the Holocaust was a myth.” His statement followed an earlier remark he had made in October 2005, that “Israel should be wiped off the map”. Twenty years after this unfortunate statement, the Islamists of northern Nigeria, supported by their Christian collaborators, are saying there has been no genocide in Nigeria against Christians.
It is usual for mass murderers to deny their actions, particularly when the consequence is about to descend on them. In the case of Nigeria, the consequence is the possibility of the United States government designating Nigeria, again, as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), with its effect on 2027 elections.
From 2015, the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) produced over 121 papers engaging the government and leaders of Islam that there was a targeted elimination of Christians in Nigeria. After a press release of the NCEF in July 2017, entitled “CORRECT ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION IN NIGERIA,” some Muslim leaders raised objections in the media. That prompted NCEF to ask the Islamists nine questions in a paper entitled, “JIHAD IN NIGERIA: BURYING THE HEAD IN THE SAND.” The paper was reproduced and summarized as “LEST WE FORGET” in October 2017. To date, no Islamist has ventured to answer one of the nine questions. The papers of NCEF can be accessed at https://csmnigeria.org/ncef-papers
Whoever claims that there was and is no genocide against Christians in Nigeria, has a herculean task of disproving the over 121 papers of NCEF on this matter, and justify the undermining of democracy in Nigeria, by sharia advocates.
Between 2013 and 2015, the _Voice of Christian Martyrs, Nigeria,_ documented the genocide against Christians in five magazines entitled “MARTYRS’ CRY.” The _Voice of Christian Martyrs_ reasoned that most people do not read long reports, so it proceeded to document the facts of the genocide in a magazine format, with pictures of victims, narrations of the attacks, testimonies from the survivors, and pictures of surviving children and widows. Each magazine was 60 pages, making a total of 300 pages of documented evidence of genocide against Christians in Nigeria. The magazines were printed in thousands and distributed free to Nigerians. The five magazines listed below are available at: www.houseofkaris.net
1. “The Widows of the Martyrs”
2. “The Survivors”
3. ” Faith in the Face of Death”
4. ” Don’t Stand in Silence”
5. “They Chose to be Christians”
On 10th March 2010, in the Christian village of Dogo Nahawa in Jos, 501 Christians were slaughtered in one night by Fulani terrorists. The mass grave of the victims was built by the Voice of Christian Martyrs, Nigeria. If that was not genocide, what was it?
On 7th July 2012, at C. C. Masse Kotton, Kasuwa Tapun Dabe of Riyom LGA, Plateau state, Fulani terrorists invaded the village of Pastor John Alidoro at 7.00 am. Pastor John thought that they were coming for him, so he fled into the bush. The other villagers did not sense the danger. The Fulani terrorists killed the wife of Pastor John and all his six children. They killed a total of 67 Christians and burnt their corpse. If that was not genocide, what was it?
On 28th November 2012, Adamu was attacked in his home in Potiskum, Yobe State, and commanded to recite the “Kamatul Shahadar” and convert to Islam. He refused to renounce his faith in Jesus Christ. The barrel of AK47 was placed on his nose and the Islamist terrorist said, “since you refuse to become a Muslim, here is your reward”, and he shot the Christian. Miraculously, Adamu survived, and he later went to USA to share his testimony. If that was not targeted killing of Christians, what was it?
Like Adamu, Monica Dra survived after Boko Haram members slit her throat in Maiduguri. Her husband was shot dead before she was asked, “are you a Muslim?”. Monica knew that if she said “no”, she would be killed. Nevertheless, she faced the Islamist terrorists and said, “I am a Christian; I am not a Muslim.” They slit her throat and left her to die. She was in that state for three days. Miraculously, she survived. She narrated that as she slipped in and out of consciousness, she was aware of some beings with wings and dressed in white that surrounded her. They were comforting her and strengthening her for three days before she was rescued. If that attack was not genocide, what was it?
It is not surprising that Muslim leaders and the government deny the genocide, because the Islamic doctrine of “taqiyya” permits Muslims to lie to protect the religion. The most pathetic aspect of this controversy is Christian leaders endorsing what the Muslim leaders and the government are saying. Blood on some hands. These Christian leaders argue that insecurity has been pervasive, and not only Christians have been killed, but Muslims also. Does that obfuscate the fact of genocide against Christians?
Nobody disputes that Muslims have been killed in Nigeria, but the question is, “Who killed them?” They were killed by their fellow Muslims. Those Muslims were not killed for their faith. They had internal conflict amongst themselves. This cannot be equated with the killing of Christians simply because they are Christians. The systemic attack by one religious group (Islam) on another religious group (Christianity) constitutes genocide.
It is sad that rather than defend their Christian brethren, some Christian leaders are defending the convoluted argument of Muslims and the Muslim-Muslim presidency. Their action queries their commitment and loyalty to Jesus Christ. Clearly, it is not the Holy Spirit speaking through those Church leaders. It must be the spirit of mammon. There should be a limit to greed and covetousness. It is distressing that loyalty to politics and filthy lucre has been placed above loyalty to Christ by some Christian leaders.
As the controversy over this matter of Islamic genocide against Christianity rages in the public space, another narrative has emerged, that capitalist Western nations are dispersing populations in Nigeria from areas rich with mineral resources and rare earth. The accusing finger has been pointed at USA. While the matter of international economic banditry is common, it should be noted that USA did not convene the Islam in Africa Organization (IAO) Conference in November 1989. That Islamist conference produced the Abuja Declarations 1989 communique in which Islamists resolved to “eradicate” Christianity in Nigeria. Neither did the USA organise the OIC strategy meeting of 1983 in London during which Islamists resolved to turn Africa into an Islamic continent. It should also be mentioned that USA did not organize the various religious riots in northern Nigeria that targeted Christians and Christian properties for destruction.
It should not be forgotten that, following international research, which produced a report entitled “Silent Slaughter”, USA designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) in 2020. That sanction was lifted by President Biden to the chagrin of many people. The current uproar about Nigeria getting designated again as CPC is more political than patriotic. A CPC designation slammed upon Nigeria now, may have impact on the 2027 elections.
The truth of the matter is that there is genocide against Christians in Nigeria, and Muslims must accept responsibility for it. Germany accepted responsibility for the genocide committed by the Nazis. They built the “Haus der Geschichte” (House of History) in Bonn, to tell the story of Germany from 1945. Instead of denying the truth, Muslim leaders should apologise and join in building structures to prevent a future occurrence. The genocide is the result of the intolerant and inconsiderate Islamic agenda to deny other citizens freedom to worship according to individual conviction, as enshrined in Section 38(1) of the Constitution. The Islamists of northern Nigeria are responsible for the genocide against Christians. If they disagree, they should provide answers to the questions NCEF asked them in 2017.
Those ‘Christian’ leaders who have joined in the dissimulation of the Muslims, should not forget that we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Some matters may not be judged in this world, but they shall be judged, with eternal consequences.
In the meantime, government should fulfill its constitutional mandate in Section 14(2)b that, “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government;” So far, the Tinubu administration is yet to make any positive impact on the two-core purposes of government. Governance has been by propaganda while the reality is in the market. Instead of denying reality, government should put an end to Islamist terrorism in Nigeria. The country belongs to all the citizens. God bless Nigeria.
● The National Prayer Altar (NPA) is a group of Christians who meet to pray nightly on Zoom. The group is headed by the duo of Pastor Bosun Emmanuel and Prof. Kontein Trinya.
