Fears remain this Easter that Christians in Nigeria are being ‘wiped out' by Muslim extremists

It s going to be a wretched and fearful Easter for Christians in Nigeria The killing and persecution of Christians by Islamist militants intent on creating a muslim caliphate in this West African country is continuing apparently unchecked despite the population being Christian Nigeria s Christians are being wiped out we need to call it what it is genocide Jeff King president of International Christian Concern ICC a persecution watchdog described Fox News Digital Let s start with the horrible attacks on April - in Nigeria s Plateau State s Bokkos County Over Christians were slaughtered and homes torched King reported Families were burned alive and kids were left homeless It s gut-wrenching The worst thing is that there s nothing truly special about this attack This has gone on for years and has only expanded LAUREN GREEN QUESTIONS ABOUT EASTER EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD AND CAN ANSWERKing believes Nigeria is a killing field for Christians and that this isn t random violence He continued with figures validated by local leaders on the ground in Nigeria It s a calculated push from the Fulanis to erase Christians from their homeland Nigeria s Middle Belt Since up to Christians have been butchered and million farmers have been kicked off their land by Fulani Islamist terrorists They roll in with AK- s machetes and gasoline and no one s stopping them For years the regime has done nothing This is a massive land grab disguised as a dispute or tribal spat What we are witnessing is a massive and long-running stealth jihad FRANKLIN GRAHAM SHARES HOPE MESSAGE IN SPECIFIC INTERVIEW ON EASTER SPECIAL 'GOD HASN T FORGOTTEN THEM'One woman widowed in an attack is released to have described the ICC They want our land our lives our Jesus Just last weekend the ICC and local sources claim another Christians were slaughtered after celebrating at a Palm Sunday arrangement in the village of Zikke near Jos The attack reportedly went on for a solid hour with no attempt by executives to stop it Members of the Christian group Open Doors UK in Nigeria exhibited Fox News Digital a list of other attacks in Nigeria in the past month Nigeria ranks seventh on Open Doors World Watchlist an annual index of countries where Christians face the the bulk persecution Christians in northern and central Nigeria face extreme violence from Boko Haram ISWAP Islamic State West African Province and armed Fulani militants who have killed thousands of believers destroyed hundreds of churches and displaced entire Christian communities Ryan Brown CEO of Open Doors US communicated Fox News Digital The contemporary attacks in Plateau State represent yet another chapter in this ongoing problem of religious persecution These attacks have devastated communities that were still recovering from the Christmas Eve massacre that killed approximately Christians in the same region in Families have lost male breadwinners with women and children often sexually assaulted Brown added Survivors are now living in at least four displacement camps facing food insecurity and unable to access development or worship safely Brown added Bishop Ayuba Matawal has profiled the Islamist killers Matawal is chairman of the Nigerian Bokkos Internally Displaced People s Welfare Committee It appears that various of these extremists have been indoctrinated with an ideology of seizing land from Christian communities continuing the legacy of Uthman dan Fodio s vision of spreading Islam across Nigeria he commented Although their numbers may be small these extremists have inflicted severe damage on Christian communities The ICC s King explained Fox News Digital he is calling upon the State Department to list Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern CPC This is a U S governing body label that means sanctions pressure and real consequences King added that he believes the U S should cut off all financial and military aid to Nigeria until we start to see a meaningful reduction in attacks perpetrators arrested and lands restored While not mentioning the attacks on Christians a State Department spokesperson reported Fox News Digital The United States remains deeply concerned by the ongoing violence in West Africa including in Nigeria s Middle Belt We offer our condolences to the casualties families of modern violence in Plateau State We also continue to engage with the cabinet of Nigeria at the highest levels to address the root causes of violence and we strongly advocate for the protection of all citizens We acknowledge Nigerian President Tinubu s commitment to address the causes of the violence and urge the cabinet to take meaningful and decisive efforts to prevent further attacks ensure accountability for perpetrators and foster long-term peace and stability In Nigeria Bishop Matawal cautioned that this Easter weekend Christian communities are on high alert especially during church services and religious gatherings Nigerian Christians are carrying their cross every day yet their hope rises like the resurrection King reported Easter is all about life winning over death and these Christians are living that out But let s raise a cry and say we hear you we are with you hold on just a bit longer Fox News Digital reached out to the Nigerian establishment but did not receive a response