1/24/2025 Nigeria (International Christian Concern) — Boko Haram is escalating attacks on Christian communities in Chibok, Borno state, displacing more than 4,000 Christians in recent days. In a series of coordinated raids, Boko Haram targeted the Christian villages of Njila, Banziir, Shikarkir, and Yirmirmug, burning homes, torching churches, and killing five people.
During the most recent attack on Monday, terrorists descended on Shikarkir and Yirmirmug in the early morning, displacing more than 1,500 residents.
Eyewitnesses reported that Boko Haram militants targeted Christians during these raids, intimidating them and demanding they convert to Islam or face death. The violence destroyed Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa, a church, and the loss of livestock, food supplies, and livelihoods.
“We are living in fear,” said Ibrahim Yana, a farmer who fled Shikarkir. “They burned down our church and homes. Many of us have lost everything.”
Boko Haram, officially known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, has waged a violent insurgency since 2009, targeting Christians, moderate Muslims, and government institutions in its quest to establish an Islamic caliphate. The group gained global infamy for its 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, an event that sparked international outrage and the #BringBackOurGirls movement.
Since then, Boko Haram has orchestrated numerous atrocities, including the killing of tens of thousands of civilians, the displacement of more than 2.5 million people, and the destruction of churches, schools, and entire communities across Nigeria’s northeast.
In recent years, Boko Haram’s attacks have become increasingly brutal, with Christian communities bearing the brunt of the violence. The group frequently targets church gatherings, burns down places of worship, and murders Christians who refuse to renounce their faith.
The Borno State Government has condemned the latest attacks, with Governor Babagana Umara Zulum pledging to enhance security measures. “I call on the people of Chibok not to be intimidated,” he said. “The government will work tirelessly to prevent further attacks.”
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