നൈജീരിയയിൽ മറ്റൊരു വൈദികനെക്കൂടി തട്ടിക്കൊണ്ടുപോയി. ഇമോയിലെ ഇസിയാല എംബാനോയിലെ ഒബോളോയിലെ സെന്റ് തെരേസ ഇടവകയിൽ ശുശ്രൂഷചെയ്യുന്ന ഫാ. ഇമ്മാനുവൽ അസുബുകയെയാണ് അക്രമികൾ തട്ടിക്കൊണ്ടുപോയത്.

നവംബർ അഞ്ചിന് ഇടവകയിലേക്കു മടങ്ങുന്നതിനിടെയാണ് ആക്രമണം ഉണ്ടായത്. ഒക്കിഗ്‌വേ രൂപതയിൽനിന്നുള്ള വിവരങ്ങളനുസരിച്ച്, 2014 സെപ്റ്റംബർ 27 നാണ് ഫാ. ഇമ്മാനുവേൽ വൈദികനായി അഭിഷിക്തനായത്. നൈജീരിയയിലെ എഡോ സ്‌റ്റേറ്റിലെ അഗെനഗബോഡിലെ മൈനർ സെമിനാരിയുടെ റെക്ടർ ഫാ. തോമസ് ഒയോഡിനെ ഒക്ടോബർ 27 നാണ് തട്ടിക്കൊണ്ടുപോയത്. ഇപ്പോഴും ഫാ. തോമസ് ഇപ്പോഴും തടവിലാണ്.

വിവേചനരഹിതമായ ആക്രമണങ്ങൾ, മോചനദ്രവ്യത്തിനായി തട്ടിക്കൊണ്ടുപോകൽ, കൊലപാതകം എന്നിവ നടത്തുന്ന സംഘാംഗങ്ങൾ നൈജീരിയയിൽ വ്യാപകമാവുകയാണ്.
Sources:azchavattomonline.com

http://theendtimeradio.com

Pakistan — Muslim vigilante groups are working with federal authorities to lure young people into sharing blasphemous content on social media in order to put them behind bars, according to an investigation by Pakistan’s National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR).

A steep increase in blasphemy cases this year, many of them filed against Christians and other religious minorities, is tied to collusion between Muslim vigilantes and federal investigators, according to the NCHR report. Pakistan saw three times as many blasphemy cases in the first seven month of this year compared with all of last year, according to the NCHR investigation.

As of July 25, there were 767 people accused of blasphemy languishing in jails across Pakistan, whereas in 2023 there were 213 suspects incarcerated for blasphemy, 64 in 2022, nine in 2021 and 11 in 2020, according to the data gathered by the NCHR.

“Most of the blasphemy cases were registered with the Federal Investigation Agency’s Cybercrime Unit in collaboration with a private entity,” the NCHR noted, adding that young men were targeted through entrapment tactics involving females using pseudonyms to lure them into blasphemous activities online.

At least 594 blasphemy suspects were imprisoned in Punjab Province alone, followed by 120 in Sindh Province, 64 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, and two in Balochistan Province, the NCHR added.

The report follows a study by the Special Branch of the Punjab Police released in January, which for the first time revealed the presence of a “blasphemy business” that exploits the controversial blasphemy laws to entrap victims for extortion.

According to the Special Branch report, a majority of the cases were being brought to trial by private “vigilante groups” led by lawyers and supported by volunteers who scour the internet for offenders.

One such group was responsible for the conviction of 27 people who have been sentenced to life imprisonment or the death penalty over the past three years, the report revealed. It recommended the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) launch a thorough inquiry to determine the source of the vigilante groups’ funding, but the agency’s response was unknown.

The most active vigilante group is the Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan, which is prosecuting more than 300 cases, led by Shiraz Ahmad Farooqi, the complainant in the blasphemy conviction of a 40-year-old Christian woman, Shagufta Kiran. Kiran was handed the death sentence by a special judge in Islamabad on Sept. 18.

The NCHR’s report called for “a comprehensive review” of the roles and accountability of both government and private entities. It also noted the inhumane conditions of blasphemy suspects in jails.

“Individuals accused of blasphemy are housed together in single, severely overcrowded barracks to protect them from potential harm by other inmates who may attack or threaten them,” the NCHR reported. “However, this arrangement results in inhumane living conditions, as the barracks lack adequate facilities and are grossly overcrowded.”

Detainees also face coercion, extortion and pressure from the vigilantes involved in their entrapment, “who sometimes encourage them to engage in further criminal activities within the prison,” according to the report.

The NCHR recommended engaging the highest levels of government and judiciary to address the FIA’s involvement with Muslim individuals and vigilante groups entrapping people. It also urged constituting a Joint Investigation Team comprising officials from the Special Branch of the Intelligence Bureau, the ministries of Law and the Interior, the FIA, and other relevant departments to investigate blasphemy cases.

Mere allegations of blasphemy in Muslim-majority Pakistan can ignite public outrage and sometimes result in mob violence. Hundreds of people have been accused and jailed for alleged blasphemy, and some were handed the death penalty, though none has been executed so far.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee on Oct. 17 observed that Pakistani authorities have failed to curb a range of human rights violations, including a sharp increase in blasphemy-related violence. Expressing serious concern over frequent attacks against religious minorities, including accusations of blasphemy, targeted killings, lynchings, mob violence, forced conversions, and desecration of places of worship, the committee stated that Pakistani society has become increasingly intolerant of religious diversity.

“Religious minorities are facing a constant threat of persecution and discrimination amid the rise of religious radicalism,” the committee stated.

Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year.
Sources:Christian Post

http://theendtimeradio.com

Nigeria — On the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on Sunday, persecuted Christians in Nigeria gathered to pray for the church in their country and their persecuted brothers and sisters worldwide.

Pastor Gah Yohanna Sunday, a pastor with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) and a dedicated leader from the Irigwe community in Bassa, Plateau state, shared his remarkable journey of faith and resilience.

He entered the ministry in 2005 after he became a Christian. Though he initially pursued a career in accounting, the pastor said God had other plans for him.

“I prayed for God to reveal my purpose and role in His kingdom,” Pastor Sunday said. “That’s when I understood my calling as a pastor.” Since that transformative moment, Sunday has committed himself to mentoring, evangelizing, and providing spiritual guidance in his community — all in the face of persecution.

Today, Pastor Sunday’s community faces significant challenges as Irigwe Christians have recently endured attacks.
“They killed four people recently, grazed cattle on our farms, and burned homes — including mine,” the pastor said.

This violence has forced many families to grapple with poverty, hunger, and trauma and has driven them from their homes. Despite all he’s lost, Pastor Sunday remains hopeful. He draws strength from Scripture, citing Romans 8:27-39, Philippians 4:12-13, and Ephesians 6:10-18, reassuring his congregation that their struggles are consistent with the challenges and persecution foretold in the Bible.

“God is good, even when I don’t fully understand,” he shared.

Pastor Sunday said the attacks appear systematic and aimed at Christians. With churches destroyed and access to resources severely affected, the community often relies on external support. Organizations like the Stefanos Foundation, the Red Cross, and the Norwegian Refugee Council are providing essential food, trauma care, and financial assistance. Unfortunately, the need far exceeds available resources.

In honor of the International Day of Prayer, the Stefanos Foundation organized a prayer session in Jos. 2 Chronicles 7:14 resonated deeply: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray … I will hear from heaven …”

Pastor Sunday also prayed with 23 widows who lost their husbands to Islamic Fulani extremists, encouraging them to stay strong in their faith. He called on the international community to assist persecuted Christians in Nigeria and urged Christians worldwide to pray and advocate for persecuted Christians.

Despite the ongoing persecution, Pastor Sunday remains focused on his mission. “This attack will eventually end — whether in this life or the next,” he said. “I will continue to proclaim the gospel, regardless of the circumstances.”
Sources:persecution

http://theendtimeradio.com