Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, along with some U.K. politicians, has urged the British government to help protect Christians who are being increasingly persecuted and killed in Nigeria, the Christian Post has reported.
Just recently, Nigerian Christian leaders warned that if the current rate of massacres continue, with hundreds of believers being killed each month, “Africa’s most-populous nation is on the brink of decimating its Christian population by 2043.”
Justin Welby, as he addressed the House of Lords, also suggested that climate change is exacerbating violence there.
Although Christians make up nearly half of the 186 million population, for nearly a decade they’ve been heavily targeted by Islamic extremist groups, such as Boko Haram, and most recently by the semi-nomadic herdsmen.
Responding to a question from Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom, Baroness Cox, Welby, according to the Christian Post said, “I am sure the [minister] shares my deep concern about the violent attacks on Christians.
Conservative Peer Baroness Goldie replied to Welby by stating that the government stands ready to “support Nigerian-led initiatives” to end the violence, and that it has called on the international community to “develop sustainable solutions to the conflict, including support for community conflict resolution initiatives which we believe are essential.”
Goldie added that “we are considering options for how the U.K. can support reconciliation at local levels. We cannot ignore the fundamental causes for the violence and so we are reviewing HM Government’s support for Nigeria in, for example, as the Most Reverend Primate suggests, tackling climate change.
Christian Nigerian leaders have been praying across the country for an end to the violence, warning that Fulani herdsmen attacks continue devastating Christian communities, forcing thousands to flee as refugees. Last month, the Christian Association of Nigeria and church denominational heads in Plateau State called the violence “pure genocide,” noting that over 6,000 persons have been “maimed and killed” by Fulani hersmen this year.
By Paul W Dennis.
