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http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05030082.htm

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 2126, Garden Grove, CA 92842-2126 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

MUSLIM MILITANTS ATTACK CHRISTIANS IN ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

DEMSA, ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA (ANS) -- Muslim militants attacked the Christian community in Demsa, Adamawa state (northern Nigeria), killing 36 people, destroying property and displacing an additional 3000 people, on Friday, February 4, 2005. The Christian survivors took refuge in Mayolope village in Taraba state.

Ann Buwalda of Jubilee Campaign reports: "This is the second attack on Christians in Adamawa state; two years ago, the town of Numan experienced a religious crisis following the death of Pastor Esther Ethan Jinkai, who was killed by a Muslim fanatic. (Pictured: Christians fleeing Muslim violence in Adamawa. Courtesy: BBC via Jubilee Campaign).

"Nigeria has been plagued with religious violence since the implementation of Sharia law. Sharia was passed into law on January 27, 2000, and has been adopted in twelve states in northern Nigeria. In February and May 2000, the northern city of Kaduna experienced one of the worst conflicts in its history," Buwalda said.

In an e-mail to ASSIST News Service (ANS), she adds: "About 2,000 people were killed in clashes between Christians and Muslims over the adoption of Sharia. In Jos, Plateau state, fighting between Muslim cattle herders and Christian farmers resulted in the deaths of 1,000 people and the displacement of 258,000 others. It is estimated that over 10,000 people have died from religious violence since 1999 and 800,000 others have been internally displaced."

Buwalda said violence between the Christians and Muslims has become sadly customary to residents in certain regions of this African nation, especially since the imposition of Islamic law (Sharia) in a number of Nigeria's northern states.

Buwalda asks Christians to: "Please pray for all peace-loving Nigerians who have been unfairly caught in the crossfire of this struggle, and pray particularly that the Christian community would respond with love and creative nonviolence to attacks by Muslim extremists. Please also pray for peace and reconciliation in Nigeria."

For more information, contact:
Ann Buwalda
Jubilee Campaign USA
email: jubilee@jubileecampaign.org
phone: 703-503-0791
web: http://www.jubileecampaign.org

** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Garden Grove, CA. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in Sept., 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.