The bustle of a busy market and the chatter of shoppers seeking out the best priced goods is a part of everyday life for many women in Nigeria. It is not a war zone or battle field but the center of many communities. However, on the 11th of January 2015 Boko Haram continued its ruthless campaign for Sharia Law and violations of women’s rights by bringing warfare to the market of Maiduguri, Nigeria. During the market attack Boko Haram used a 10 year old girl as a suicide bomber and killed nineteen people.

The majority of people first heard of Boko Haram when the kidnapping of 234 girls in Chibok stirred the political consciousness of the general public. The hashtag #bringbackourgirls circulated throughout the globe and the determination of social media seemed resilient in the face of Boko Haram’s brutality. However, like any social media campaign, whether it is the ALS ice bucket challenge or the ‘no makeup’ selfie, the momentum behind the campaign decreased and shortly the girls were not only missing but almost forgotten.

Media attention on Boko Haram may have silenced but the group’s manipulation and cruelty of girls and women has continued.

Since 2009 Boko Haram has kidnapped five hundred girls and women from Northern Nigeria. The report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) indicates that the majority of girls targeted were students (Boko Haram translates to Western Education is forbidden), Christians, or both. Twenty nine out of the thirty girls interviewed by HRW were Christian. The girls stated they were forced to denounce their Christian faith, convert to Islam and were forced to marry Muslim men. If they refused, the girls and women were subjected to reoccurring death threats, violence and sexual assault including rape.

Boko Haram’s intention to persecute the Christian faith was made clear in a video posted in May 2014. The group’s leader stated ‘this is a war against Christians and democracy and their constitution.’ The group has not only targeted Christian women but churches and businesses too. It has destroyed all churches in the nineteen captured towns in Northern Nigeria and looted Christian businesses.

Please feel inspired to pray for the women, men and children in Nigeria suffering under the hands of Boko Haram:

• For peace to resume in the region and the hostilities ended
• For the release of all victims
• For justice to be pursued and provided for all victims of the violence
• For governments and faith organisations to work towards bringing all of this to a reality

The article comes from http://www.restoredrelationships.org/