Religious Entity Condemns Torching of Nigerian Orphanage for Recently Bereaved Children

The official of the Religious Freedom Coalition, which informs the American public about the persecution Christians face around the world notes that children at Christian Orphanage had just begun a farm financed by the organization in order to help feed themselves.

“The orphanage was almost totally dependent upon our funding. The water towers, the water systems, the daily food, all of it came from the Religious Freedom Coalition,” Mr. Murray says, and expresses regret that everything has been destroyed and that the children have scattered all over Jos, the capital of Plateau State.

The official bemoans the loss suffered by the orphanage, noting that it is the second time the children’s facility is being relocated this year alone after operating smoothly for over a decade.

In his appeal for donations to help resettle the orphans, Mr. Murray says, “It is going to be very difficult to rebuild an orphanage, this time in a safe area.”

“This is the second time this year that we have been forced to evacuate the orphanage and this time there is no going back,” he says, and adds, “Every single building has been destroyed. Every single one was set on fire … Everything was destroyed. There is no place for the children to sleep, much less a classroom to go to anymore.”

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There has been a rise in reported killings and destruction of Churches by Fulani herdsmen in Plateau and Southern Kaduna states with at least 70 people having been hacked to death in just a fortnight by assailants of Fulani origin in farming communities in the two Nigerian states.

In a statement, Rev (Dr) Baba Panya, the president of the Evangelical Church Winning (ECWA) lamented that “the last two weeks, especially from Sunday, July 23 to Monday, August 2 have been the worst nightmare” for the predominantly Christian Irigwe ethnic group, who are indigenous to Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) in Plateau State, and to Kaura LGA in neighboring Southern Kaduna. 

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a UK-based human rights organization, reports that at least 15 villages were destroyed, over 400 houses burnt down, including Churches and an orphanage, around 20,000 people were displaced, and thousands of hectares of farm crops deliberately destroyed, in the spate of attacks on Bassa LGA.

As persecution of Christians increases in Nigeria, the Religious Freedom Coalition has begun to bring assistance to suffering Christians in the West African country.

The Religious Freedom Coalition assists an orphanage for Christian children who lost parents to Islamic terror attacks.

Programs at the orphanage included new wells, water towers and sanitation systems as well as the leasing of land for a farm.

Sanitary products are also distributed as humanitarian aid in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Information provided on the coalition’s website indicates that tens of thousands of Christian farmers have been forced from their lands by Sunni Muslim Fulani herdsmen and now live in desperate situations.

“The Christians in Nigeria face worse persecution than anywhere else in the world!” the leadership of the Religious Freedom Coalition has indicated, adding, “Muslim Fulani herdsmen and the Boko Haram have murdered entire church congregations and attacked and burned villages across Southern Nigeria. Many Christian children are left orphaned because one or both of their parents were victims of these attacks.”

The Religious Freedom Coalition has committed to partner with orphanages in Nigeria to provide a safe, healthy environment to show the love of Jesus to these children.

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In the August 5 video recording, the organization’s president advises those willing to help in building a new orphanage for the children to channel their contributions through NigeriaChristianHelp.org

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.