August 6, 2009

ELGIN, IL – Members of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN – the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) have sent some updated information following the violence that affected churches in the city of Maiduguri, in northeastern Nigeria. The outbreak of violence in late July affected the city of Maiduguri and other areas of northeastern Nigeria following clashes between a militant Islamist group and security forces.

EYN members in Maiduguri report that the EYN Maiduguri (No. 1) Church congregation resumed worship on Sunday, Aug. 2, with an outdoor worship service following the bombing and destruction of the church building on July 27.

The EYN Maiduguri Church was one of two EYN churches affected by the violence, in which the EYN Jajeri Church was also damaged and several EYN members were injured or killed. EYN members have reported that at least 13 Christian churches in the city were affected.

The reports from Nigerian Brethren also added more tragic news, that the total number of deaths across northeastern Nigeria may have risen to 1,000 or more, including "the military personnel, the police, Christians, and the sect members." Also, the number of Christian pastors killed in Maiduguri has risen to three, according to the reports. None of the pastors who have died were Brethren, although the assistant pastor of the EYN Jajeri Church was injured.

The three pastors who were reportedly killed included Pastor Sabo of COCIN (Church of Christ in Nigeria) Railway Church; the pastor of a National Evangelical Mission who was reported to be severely injured in the violence and died after having been taken to a medical clinic; and Pastor George Orji of Goodnews Church Maiduguri, reported to have been killed after having been abducted along with other Christians.

An EYN church leader who is a former chairperson of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Borno State Branch, sent information about peacemaking efforts by church leaders there in recent years. He has been among those calling on the government to help establish a forum where Muslim and Christian clerics could meet, and to sanction those whose preaching incites violence, he said. These kinds of efforts to foster peaceful interreligious relationships have taken place in areas especially "where EYN has played a significant role," he wrote.

Go to http://www.brethren.org/site/PhotoAlbumUser?AlbumID=8871&view=UserAlbum, for a photo album of the destruction to EYN Maiduguri Church.

Go to http://www.brethren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=go_places_serve_nigeria, for more information about the Church of the Brethren work with EYN in Nigeria.

Go to https://secure2.convio.net/cob/site/Donation2?df_id=2240&2240.donation=form1, for ways to help support the Nigerian church.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts some 125,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service