One of the world's renowned evangelist, Pastor Benny Hinn, has said God will soon visit Nigeria, and the powers holding His people captive, shall be broken.
The American televangelist's recent interest in Nigeria, came at a time Christian persecution particularly in the North, is alleged to have reached an alarming rate, although the Nigeria government has expectedly and repeatedly deny such claims.
However, the push to attract foreign attention to the atrocities against Christian communities in the country has continued to gain momentum.
The United States has already blacklisted Nigeria as one of the nations where religious freedom is being gagged.
According to a recent report, by a Christian based organization, Christian Solidarity International (CSI), Christians in Nigeria have been left to themselves by government and even the United Nations who have been informed on the plight of Christians in Nigeria, failed to do anything about it.
Rev. Johnnie Moore, in a new book he co-authored, “The Next Jihad: Stop the Christian Gen o cide in Africa,” revealed that Christian communities have been decimated by terrorists in parts of Nigeria – and most of the persecution happening in the shadows.
“Thousands of churches have been torched, children kiIIed, pastors beheaded, and homes and fields set abIaze by the tens of thousands, with people being targeted for their Christian faith alone,” he said.
Human rights activists Rabbi Abraham Cooper who co-wrote "The Next Jihad" with Moore, said efforts to seek help for Christians facing persecution in the country, has been exhausting and disturbing.
"Essentially, there is little or no price to pay for the kidnapping, extortion, burning of churches, or for mayhem and murder of Christians," he said.
"Even when police or military actually captures the perpetrators, the judiciary won't hold deal seriously with the criminal/t e r rorists."
The report also said stories of sIaughter and systematic abuse of Christians rarely seep into news headlines beyond Nigeria's borders, but events on the ground are chilling.
"The Next Jihad" sheds a painful light on the accustomed horrors the increasingly defenseless Christian followers face, noting that the radicalized Fulani militants – not to be confounded with the millions of harmonious Fulani – turn to tactics "that are eerily similar to those deployed by Boko Haram, including d e adly midnight raids, arsons, kidnappings, rapes, forced conversions, and overt sIaughter."
Observers stress that the persecution doesn't just amount to physical abuse and the leftovers of a disfigured corpse, either.
"Christians have been treated as second-class citizens, in schools, clinics, land allocation, job opportunities, etc., and the list goes on," lamented David Curry, president and CEO of Open Doors, which advocates on behalf of those who are persecuted for their Christian faith.
"We have heard reports that Christians are receiving the leftovers of government aid—while Muslims receive greater relief support, especially in areas governed by Shariah law. Day laborers – which is over half the population – have been sidelined due to the pandemic shutdown as well, so they are now unable to provide basic living essentials for their families."
However, despite these horrible situations, Pastor Benny Hinn has a message of hope for Christians in the country.
Hinn while leading prayers at a Christian event dubbed the ‘Experience Conference’, said, “The Lord declares the evil powers in Nigeria will be broken,” he declared to enthusiastic applause.
“I see two years before that power begins to shatter in Nigeria. God will begin to defeat the purpose of Islam in Nigeria,” he continued, leading attendees in prayer.