06/14/2019 Niger (International Christian Concern) – A Christian woman in the city of Diffa in Niger was kidnapped by Boko Haram on June 7th and released three days later. She was returned back to Diffa with a letter to all Christians which read “leave the town within three days or be killed.”
The incident has prompted a significant amount of fear among the Christian community, and local NGOs are urging Christians to move to the capitol city for their own safety. Several families have already moved but the situation is more serious for those who cannot afford moving. Most of the village workers earn meager salaries and a trip to the capital city can take months to plan and execute. Furthermore, moving to a new location would also deplete them of their main source of income.
Boko Haram is a serious threat to Christians, especially those living in rural areas. Christian residents of Diffa are well-accustomed to the threats posed by Boko Haram. The Islamic militants kidnapped the daughter of a regional pastor in 2017. Just prior to this incident, they also kidnapped 30-40 women and children, and executed nine other people, in the village of Ngalewa. Today, hundreds continue to die at the hands of the militants.
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.
