The Boko Haram Insurgency of Northern Nigeria has been going on for over 11 years. Boko Haram, Fulani militants, and other Jihadists have been waging an ongoing campaign to create an Islamic Caliphate in Northern Nigeria as well as the surrounding nations of Chad and Cameroon. It is estimated that the insurgency has claimed over 50,000 innocent lives and internally displaced over two million. However, many fail to realize that these conflicts are not just about statistics. It's about people who's lives have been cruelly taken away, who suffer permanent physical and psychological scars. Their only crime is being a Christian, a Muslim of the wrong sect, or anyone who refuses to endorse their murderous agenda. Here are some of the stories of those innocents who have suffered at the hands of Boko Haram.
This first story is about a little boy named Weng. When Weng was only three weeks old, Boko Haram attacked his village and burned down his home. His mother was killed as she attempted to flee with Weng in her arms. When she was killed, Weng fell into the fire and burned his feet so badly they were unable to develop normally. The Christian charity group Voice of the Martyrs provided Weng with new prostheses, which allowed him to walk and run around like other children. Weng is just one of many children who have been permanently maimed by Boko Haram.
In July of 2009 a Christian woman by the Monica and her husband were riding a motorcycle through Maidurguri in
Northern Nigeria. It was a Thursday and they were going to a
Bible Study. While riding, they ran into a roadblock set up by Boko Haram. Upon stopping the militants demanded to know their faith. When then the couple confessed that they were Christians, the militants demanded that they convert. They refused to do so.
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Boko Haram Militants Gather Near Maidurguri |
Boko Haram then attacked the couple. They decapitated Monica's husband, chased her, slashed her throat, and left her for dead. As she lay dying on the road, she saw visions of Heaven. However, the Lord decided it was not yet her time. Monica was found and rescued, but she was so badly injured she couldn't even drink water, it leaked out of her slashed throat. Monica underwent several surgeries and had a device implanted through her tracheotomy so she could breath. Despite her terrible suffering, she still professes love for Jesus. She now works to help other widows who have lost their husbands to Boko Haram.
On
Jan. 28, 2015 Islamic militants raided village of Nunkwo in Northern
Nigeria. The militants disguised themselves as herdsmen and were backed by Boko Haram. They burned the homes of the villagers and attacked the inhabitants. By the time it was over 23 villagers had been killed and 38 were injured. Among those injured was 13-year-old Danjuma
Shakara was in the village. When the attack began Danjuma fled, but the militants caught him. They slashed his face, tore out his right eye, and hacked off his right arm and genitals. By the grace of God, Danjuma survived this attack. The attack left Danjuma blinded and maimed, het he bears no hatred toward his attackers. In fact, when asked how he felt his said "I forgive them, for they know not what they do."
These are but three stories of the thousands of victims of Boko Haram, but they serve as a reminder that these victims are not simply statistics. They're people whose lives have been forever affected by this ongoing calamity that has befallen Nigeria for far too long.
Sources:
Jasek, Petr & Rebecca George. Imprisoned with ISIS: Faith in the Face of Evil. Washington D.C.: Salem Books, 2020
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