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Christian Group Names Nigeria Hot Spot for Persecution

Timothy Obiezu

   ABUJA - A report by the U.S-based Christian persecution monitoring
   group Open Doors shows the number of Christians killed in 2020
   increased by 60%, mostly because of Islamic violence against Nigerian
   Christians.

   The study says more than 2,200 of 4,761 Christians killed around the
   world in 2020 died in Nigeria because of radical Islamists.

   Open Doors CEO David Curry says the global focus on battling the
   coronavirus pandemic last year also contributed to an increase in
   Christian persecution.

   But Nigerian Muslim groups say the report is promoting a false
   impression.

   "Nigerian Christians are not persecuted," said Ishaq Akintola, director
   at Muslim Rights Concern. "What is happening in Nigeria is the
   persecutor crying out and claiming that he is being persecuted,
   claiming that he is the victim. And it's because a Muslim is in power
   that the crying of persecution is so loud."

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