Nigeria (MNN) ― There are fresh tensions in Jos, Nigeria, after a call for a state of emergency. A deadly rampage last week targeted Christians in the area, following elections that fell in their favor. Thousands more are displaced.
Carl Moeller with Open Doors says it's not over yet. "There are many, many flash points along that entire border. We pray for overall reconciliation between these peoples. We pray that Muslim extremists would not take out their frustration on the Christian community there, and then we pray for Christians to have the peace and patience of the Holy Spirit."
The home of Isaac, an Open Doors (OD) representative, was looted and burnt down on November 28, but neither he nor his family were harmed. At the moment, they are taking refuge in a safer area. OD is in the process of addressing the immediate needs of the family and assisting them to relocate.
Moeller says their teams have been galvanized into action so that the hope of Christ goes forth. "Open Doors has stepped up its work in Nigeria because of the need for restoring the Christian church's presence in those areas. [We want] the Christians to be encouraged, to let them know that they've not been forgotten, to provide for their most basic needs--food, clothing, shelter, spiritual needs, encouragement, training for pastors, and materials for the rebuilding of their churches."
However, unrest in the state in the past has triggered reprisal attacks between different ethnic and religious groups in other parts of Nigeria.
Hundreds were killed in ethnic-religious fighting in Jos in 2001. Hundreds more died in 2004 in clashes in Yelwa, also in Plateau Sate, leading former President Olusegun Obasanjo to declare an emergency.
The violence in Jos has calmed down a bit, but the situation remains tense. Please pray for Christians in Nigeria, as the situation is not yet resolved. The rest of the Open Doors staff and their families are safe, although they are shaken by the violence over the last couple of days. Keep praying for their safety as they act as the hands and feet of Christ during the crisis.
