New York City is not only poised to have its first Muslim mayor but also its first mayor who blatantly refuses to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggV2SeiGrVw">condemn</a> the widely used motto “Globalize the Intifada.”
When asked three times on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the Ugandan-born, democratic socialist assemblyman from Queens, Zohran Mamdani, refused to condemn the appalling call for violence. This should, at the very least, be unsettling for New Yorkers and Americans alike.
Not only is the call for intifada a petition for violence, but it is also a call for the installation of Islamic rule. One of the tenets of the Intifada is the complete installation of Sharia Law. For those who care about human rights, few things should cause more concern than the implementation of Sharia Law. To put it mildly, Sharia Law’s track record on human rights is far from stellar. Nearly all of the 35 countries that have adopted Sharia Law are on the <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/map-shows-countries-human-rights-watchlist-us-2043007">Human Rights Watch list</a> at “closed” or “repressed” levels – the two most at-risk categories. Also, countries with Sharia law make up nearly half the countries designated as <a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/countries/2025-recommendations">“Countries of Particular Concern”</a> on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s list.
What’s even more alarming is the exponential growth of Sharia Law around the globe. In 1980, Saudi Arabia was the only country that officially applied Sharia Law. By 2000, that number had risen to 16. Currently, more than 35 of the 195 countries in the world have incorporated Sharia Law in their legal systems.
Sharia Law enforces Islamic principles in civil and criminal matters, guided by the subjective interpretations of the mostly male Islamic scholars (called Fiqhs), formalized through consensus (called Ijmas). It governs issues like apostasy, blasphemy, alcohol consumption, stealing, adultery, homosexuality, and forced marriages. Punishments, known as Hadud, vary but are severe in strict Quran-adhering regions and range from death for apostasy, blasphemy, or homosexuality; caning (often 40 lashes) for alcohol or drug use; hand amputation for theft; and stoning, flogging, or genital mutilation for other offenses.
These are the realities of Sharia Law when fully applied.
As the founder of <a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/">a mission</a> working in the remote and dangerous <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-silent-slaughter-inside-nigerias-christian-persecution-crisis?author=Brad+Brandon&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+Silent+Slaughter%3A+Inside+Nigeria%E2%80%99s+Christian+Persecution+Crisis">northern region of Nigeria</a>, I have seen the horrific impacts Sharia Law has on people. I have spent nearly a third of my adult life in areas that impose strict interpretations of the Quran and regularly enforce the cruel punishments of Sharia Law.
Years ago, I saw a young man flogged 40 times in a village for using drugs, his guilt vaguely established. Sharia’s standards of proof are low compared to modern legal systems. Later, I met an older man with both hands amputated for stealing – once in his youth, then again while struggling with hunger, in a country where people barely earn enough money to feed themselves. Others I know face life in brutal prisons for apostasy or blasphemy. Sharia’s punishments – flogging, amputation, imprisonment – deliver severe consequences that should make anyone concerned about basic human rights shudder.
Sharia Law has little to no regard for human rights and almost never shows mercy to those who trespass its pretenses, including women and children.
Sharia Law’s emergence in states with rising Muslim populations, like my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6QC_qEyl0Q">home state of Minnesota</a>, worries me. In the U.S., Sharia currently operates through local councils that mediate disputes and personal matters within Muslim communities, always under state and federal laws.
Yet, challenges arise. In 2009, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Joseph Charles relied on a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/advocates-of-anti-shariah-measures-alarmed-by-judges-ruling">family’s Imam</a> in a spousal abuse case, denying the woman a protective order. Though an appellate court overturned the ruling, this case reveals Sharia’s potential to influence U.S. legal systems, extending beyond community guidelines and testing national authority.
In Europe, there is no greater example of Sharia Law’s infiltration than in the United Kingdom. The U.K. is now being called the <a href="https://www.gbnews.com/news/britain-sharia-law-courts-western-capital">“western capital” of Sharia Law</a>, with more than 85 “councils” operating across the country. These Islamic councils have become a blatant assault on human rights, particularly against women and children. Under Sharia Law, a woman’s testimony is worth half of a man’s. This discrimination has far-reaching effects in matters of spousal abuse, divorce, child custody, and financial matters just to name a few. According to these Sharia councils, a woman’s right to divorce is heavily restricted, whereas a man’s right to divorce is unilateral. These kinds of discrimination are illegal in the government and workplaces in the U.K. But when it comes to Sharia Law they are promoted.
The most alarming aspect of this is that under the <a href="https://lawandreligionuk.com/2012/10/24/sharia-law-the-arbitration-act-1996-and-the-arbitration-and-mediation-services-equality-bill/">U.K.’s Arbitration Act</a>, the rulings of these Sharia councils are precedent rulings and are being used in the British courts. This is happening across Europe. In so much that the Council of Europe has <a href="https://eclj.org/religious-freedom/pace/le-conseil-de-leurope-sinquite-grandement-de-lapplication-de-la-charia-en-europe?lng=en">issued a report </a>stating they are “greatly concerned” by the application of Sharia Law in Europe, specifically listing the U.K., Greece, Germany, and Chechnya. This imposition of Sharia Law has even created enough concern in the U.S. that <a href="https://www.mapsofworld.com/answers/united-states/states-outlawed-sharia-law/">16 states have passed legislation banning Sharia Law,</a> and more than two dozen have anti-Sharia bills introduced.
It&#8217;s not hyperbole or hysterics to be concerned about the imposition of Sharia Law and its inhumane practices in the United States. All one has to do is look at the scores of Western countries that have opened the door to it. In every case, human rights are being trampled and disregarded. It’s not at all unreasonable for every American to be concerned when the Democratic nominee of the nation’s largest city is a man who will not condemn the idea of a global intifada and its assault on human rights through the spread of Sharia Law.
* * *
<a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/ourfounder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brad Brandon</a> is the founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Across Nigeria</a>. Since 2018, he has been actively serving in predominantly high-risk, highly persecuted areas like Northern Nigeria and other parts of West Africa.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Lantern that have moon symbol on top with blurred focus of paper cut for mosque shape background.

The Global Rise Of Sharia Law And Mamdani’s ‘Intifada’ Silence

The Global Rise Of Sharia Law And Mamdani’s 'Intifada' Silence

Africa

Europe

Muslims

New York City

Nigeria

Opinion

Sharia Law

United Kingdom

Over the past 10 years, Northern Nigeria has quickly risen to the top of the list as the most dangerous place to be a Christian. More Christians are killed here than anywhere else in the world.
The data show us that it’s not by slim margins. According to International Christian Concern, in 2022, <a href="https://www.persecution.org/2023/09/11/90-percent-of-the-5500-christians-killed-in-2022-were-nigerian/">90%</a> of all Christians killed in the world were killed in Nigeria. Last year, that number was around <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/261571/nigeria-tops-report-for-number-of-christians-killed-kidnapped-in-2024#:~:text=The%20World%20Watch%20List%2C%20released,countries%20in%20the%20same%20year.">70%</a>.
The persecution of Christians in Northern Nigeria has quickly evolved into a full-on genocide. But how did this happen? How did the region become a stronghold for this violence against those who follow Christ?
Most of the region is a virtual “wild west” of Africa, leaving Northern Nigeria largely unchecked with a sparse military presence. The geography, coupled with a rise in Islamic extremism, has allowed groups like Boko Haram and ISIS-WA (ISWAP) to flourish unimpeded.
<div id="attachment_74449" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-74449" class="wp-image-74449 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/12/ISIS-Truck-1024x576.jpg" alt="A vehicle allegedly belonging to the Islamic State group in West Africa (ISWAP) is seen in Baga on August 2, 2019. - Intense fighting between a regional force and the Islamic State group in West Africa (ISWAP) has resulted in dozens of deaths, including at least 25 soldiers and more than 40 jihadists, in northeastern Nigeria. ISWAP broke away from Boko Haram in 2016 in part due to its rejection of indiscriminate attacks on civilians. Last year the group witnessed a reported takeover by more hardline fighters who sidelined its leader and executed his deputy. The IS-affiliate has since July 2018 ratcheted up a campaign of attacks against military targets." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/12/ISIS-Truck-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/12/ISIS-Truck-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/12/ISIS-Truck-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />A vehicle allegedly belonging to the Islamic State group in West Africa (ISWAP) is seen in Baga on August 2, 2019. AUDU MARTE/AFP via Getty Images</div>
According to the most <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1197570/deaths-caused-by-boko-haram-in-nigeria/">recent statistics</a>, Boko Haram alone is responsible for the deaths of 38,000 people between 2011 and 2023. Their growth has been so staggering that it has essentially overwhelmed the Nigerian government’s attempts to stop it. In 2023, I witnessed Nigerian soldiers walk off the job when ordered to fight Boko Haram militants. They told me that fighting Boko Haram was a suicide mission. These terrorist groups keep the people of northern Nigeria in a constant state of fear. They yield this fear skillfully to maintain control. While I truly believe Nigerian President Bola Tinubu wants to see change in the region, his government is outnumbered and outgunned.
Another equally devastating contributor to the problem is the ethnic conflict between Fulani Muslims (herders) and Christians (farmers). While this is not “terrorism” in the traditional sense of Islamic Jihad, the results are no less deadly. There are approximately 17 million Fulani Muslims in Nigeria. Most Fulani are nomadic and predominantly raise cattle to maintain their livelihood. In this region, Christians have largely settled and sustain themselves by planting crops. As the Fulani migrate their cattle over vast distances, those cattle often wander into the farm fields of Christians, destroying their crops. While some Fulani Muslims have been radicalized, the herder vs. farmer crisis is overwhelmingly the result of tensions over land.
<div id="attachment_939751" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-939751" class="size-large wp-image-939751" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1257123144-864x576.jpg" alt="TOPSHOT - A Fulani pastoralist rests at a water point in Loumbel Lana, Matam region on May 19, 2023. For pastoralist the extreme heats direct effect is that their livestock drink double what they usually do. Usually one sheep will drink around 2,5 litres of water a day, now they need 4 or 5 litres a day. Pastoralists now need to get to water points multiple times a day (up to 20km away) and spend double the money buying water. Since April the region of Matam has regularly been flagged as the hottest place on earth with temperatures reaching 48 degrees celsius in the shade and fifties in direct sun. (Photo by JOHN WESSELS / AFP) (Photo by JOHN WESSELS/AFP via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1257123144-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1257123144-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1257123144-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1257123144.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />JOHN WESSELS/AFP via Getty Images</div>
For years, I have brokered peace agreements between hundreds of Fulani Muslim and Christian communities. In nearly every case I have worked, the root cause of the conflict boils down to violence that arose from cattle destroying crops. And that violence is not one-sided. Christians have retaliated for the destruction of their crops; however, more often than not, these conflicts result in an inordinate number of Christian deaths.
The most recent example is the massacre of nearly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/terrible-massacre-hundreds-of-christians-killed-by-jihadists">200 Christians</a> that happened on <a href="https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/fulani-jihadists-massacre-over-200-christians-in-nigeria">June 14, 2025</a>. As a result of Nigeria’s diminishing areas for cattle grazing, the Fulani Muslims attacked Christians as a means to claim land for their cattle to graze. Further evidence is that every dry season, when access to good feeding grounds is at its lowest, there is a surge of violence between the Fulani herders and Christian farmers.
Northern Nigeria, like much of Africa, is gripped by severe socio-economic challenges that fuel instability and hardship. Most people in Northern Nigeria live on the equivalent of a little more than <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2024/08/20/majority-of-workers-in-nigerias-largest-city-earn-below-62-50-monthly-report-reveals/">$1 USD per day</a>. Currently, a <a href="https://maypatronic.com/bag-of-rice-in-nigeria/#:~:text=in%20the%20market.-,Price%20Ranges,such%20as%20region%20and%20quality.">10kg (22-pound) bag of rice costs about $35 USD</a>. People barely earn enough to feed themselves. The <a href="https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/nga/nigeria/inflation-rate-cpi#:~:text=Nigeria%20inflation%20rate%20for%202023,a%201.85%25%20increase%20from%202019.">annual inflation rate is around 24%</a>, which drives the cost of food higher and higher. <a href="https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/25-million-nigerians-high-risk-food-insecurity-2023">UNICEF has placed Nigeria on its crisis list</a>, stating that over 25 million people are at high risk of food insecurity. These conditions have created an environment that keeps people in a perpetual state of survival.
But how do dire socio-economic conditions contribute to Christian persecution?
<div id="attachment_168513" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-168513" class="wp-image-168513 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-1024x576.jpg" alt="TOPSHOT - Mourners attend the funeral of 43 farm workers in Zabarmari, about 20km from Maiduguri, Nigeria, on November 29, 2020 after they were killed by Boko Haram fighters in rice fields near the village of Koshobe on November 28, 2020. - The assailants tied up the agricultural workers and slit their throats in the village of Koshobe. The victims were labourers from Sokoto state in northwest Nigeria, roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) away, who had travelled to the northeast to find work." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />TOPSHOT &#8211; Mourners attend the funeral of 43 farm workers in Zabarmari, about 20km from Maiduguri, Nigeria, on November 29, 2020 after they were killed by Boko Haram fighters. AUDU MARTE/AFP via Getty Images.</div>
Inflation and food shortages exacerbate the conflict between Fulani Muslim herders and Christian farmers because, to them, every day is a desperate fight for survival. Tensions over grazing land — the source of sustenance for both the herders and farmers — run at a fever pitch. These socio-economic conditions are also the reason why so many young men are drawn to radical Islamic groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP. Not only do these groups provide a support system, but they also pay well for people willing to follow their orders and commit violent acts. I’ve heard reports of Boko Haram paying their fighters $100 USD for the successful execution of a single act of terrorism. That’s a small fortune in this part of the world.
The desperate conditions of Northern Nigeria are the fuel that keeps the fire of persecution burning.
These are complex problems in a complex part of the world. That’s why, at <a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/">Across Nigeria</a>, we are driven by a powerful mission: not only to uplift suffering Christians but also to extend Christ’s love to Muslims. Through our network of primary schools across Northern Nigeria, we empower Fulani Muslims with transformative education and literacy, building bridges of hope and understanding. In every area where we operate a Fulani school, the violence has dropped by 60 to 70%. We have found that providing people with options and opportunities is the best way to deter them from resorting to violence.
By helping Muslims overcome these challenges, we are helping to significantly reduce the violence and bring an end to the suffering. We have done a lot, but we have a long way to go. With the proper support, I believe we can reduce the violence and bring an end to suffering for the Muslims and Christians in the most dangerous region in the world.
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<a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/ourfounder">Brad Brandon</a> is the founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/">Across Nigeria</a>. Since 2018, he has been actively serving in predominantly high-risk, highly persecuted areas like Northern Nigeria and other parts of West Africa.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

NIGERIA-VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-AFRICA

The Silent Slaughter: Inside Nigeria’s Christian Persecution Crisis

The Silent Slaughter: Inside Nigeria's Christian Persecution Crisis

Bible

Boko Haram

Christians

Islamic Jihad

Murder

Jihadists massacred around 200 Christians in Nigeria last week after storming a predominantly Catholic farming community and setting fire to homes, according to multiple reports.
Last Friday and Saturday, Fulani Jihadist herdsmen targeted the Christians in Yelwata, in Nigeria’s Benue State, according to Catholic news outlet, <a href="https://cruxnow.com/church-in-africa/2025/06/latest-attack-reportedly-kills-nearly-200-people-in-nigeria">Crux</a>. The militants attempted to storm St. Joseph’s Church in Yelwata, which was housing families who had been displaced by previous Fulani Jihadist attacks in other areas, but were repelled by police, according to another report from <a href="https://www.churchinneed.org/nigeria-up-to-200-dead-in-worst-killing-spree/">Church in Need</a>. The militants then attacked the town square, setting fire to buildings and killing people while yelling &#8220;Allahu Akbar.&#8221;
According to eyewitnesses on the ground in the Nigerian community, the Jihadists &#8220;surrounded Yelwata &#8230; and began slaughtering people—mostly women, children, and displaced families who thought they had found safety here.”
“We’re still finding bodies in the bushes,” <a href="https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/fulani-jihadists-massacre-over-200-christians-in-nigeria">said</a> local youth leader Mton Matthias. “The death toll is rising every hour.”
Pope Leo addressed the &#8220;terrible massacre&#8221; on Sunday when he said Christians &#8220;were killed with extreme cruelty, most of whom were internally displaced persons hosted by the local Catholic mission.&#8221;
&#8220;I pray that security, justice, and peace will prevail in Nigeria, a beloved country so affected by various forms of violence,&#8221; Pope Leo said before he delivered the Sunday Angelus prayer, Vatican News reported. &#8220;And I pray in a special way for the rural Christian communities in Benue State who have been unceasingly the victims of violence.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Pope Leo prays for the victims of a “terrible massacre” in Benue State, Nigeria.
Around 200 people were “brutally killed” in Yelwata, in the Guma Local Government Area on the night of the 13th/14th June, the Pope said, most of them internally displaced persons “sheltered by the… <a href="https://t.co/gOZw8Ny0L2">pic.twitter.com/gOZw8Ny0L2</a>
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/VaticanNews/status/1934238312937537896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The violence against Christians in Nigeria is not new, but last week&#8217;s massacre marks the deadliest atrocity committed against Christians in the country in recent years, according to Church in Need. Fulani herdsman, made up of Muslims, regularly threaten farming communities, made up mostly of Christians, in Benue State. Between 2023 and 2025, more than 1,000 people have been killed as the Jihadists have clashed with farmers and Nigeria&#8217;s security forces, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyznnl4mddo">reported</a>.
According to Rev. Fr. Remigius Ihyula — director of the Justice, Peace and Development Foundation (JPDF) — the violence against Christians is part of an effort to clear the land of the Christian inhabitants.
“These Fulani militias are not just killing—they’re clearing land to claim it,” he <a href="https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/fulani-jihadists-massacre-over-200-christians-in-nigeria">said</a>. “And they’re being allowed to do it.”
The Nigerian government, led by Muslims, has been accused of looking the other way while radical Muslims attack and kill Christians.
“The credible evidence of who [the attackers] are is undeniable, so why is the government helpless in securing the safety of its citizens?&#8221; asked Father Moses Aondover Iorapuu, a Parish priest in Makurdi, Nigeria.

Religious cross on a building’s gable

‘Terrible Massacre’: Hundreds Of Christians Killed By Jihadists

Death

Persecution

Pope Leo

Religion

World

Imagine your teenage son goes upstairs to do homework — and just hours later, you discover he has taken his own life. For <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2025/02/25/teenage-boys-mental-health-suicide-sextortion-scams/78258882007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">too many families</a>, this nightmare is a grim reality, the result of a rapidly growing and devastating crime known as sextortion. 
Sextortion is a powerful form of exploitation where predators trick and coerce victims, often young boys, into sending explicit images online. The exploiters often pose as teen girls and reach out with flirtatious messages. This is no haphazard operation, research has found that thousands of Instagram accounts perpetrating sextortion were linked to <a href="https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/meta-takes-down-63k-instagram-accounts-5700-facebook-groups-1300-facebook-accounts-linked-1725744" target="_blank" rel="noopener">only 20-25 individuals</a> — in other words, this is often an organized criminal activity, something no teenager is prepared to go up against. They are trained and skilled at building trust quickly, shifting the conversation to sexual topics and eventually sending pictures or videos and requesting some in return.
In mere minutes, the blackmail begins. Predators threaten to expose the victim’s nude photos to their contacts or social media connections unless they pay a demanded sum — fueling fear, shame, and deterring them from seeking help. To heighten the pressure, some blackmailers may falsely accuse teens of criminal activity, warning that they could end up on sex offender registries.
For some, the shame and fear of being exposed are so overwhelming that they see no way out, leading to tragic actions like suicide within mere hours of being targeted.
Sextortion has been connected to dozens of deaths of teen boys by suicide in <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/sacramento/news/sextortion-a-growing-threat-preying-upon-our-nations-teens#:~:text=The%20sextortion%20involved%20at%20least,the%20activity%20to%20law%20enforcement." target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent</a> years. Tragically, these numbers are likely underreported as family members may not know the circumstance that led to a loved one’s death by suicide.
There are an average of 812 reports of sextortion <a href="https://www.thorn.org/research/library/financial-sextortion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per week</a>, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
This crisis demands immediate attention and action.
For too long, online platforms have failed to prioritize safety. Take Snapchat, for example. New Mexico’s attorney general recently brought a lawsuit against Snapchat. According to a report from <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/new-mexico-attorney-general-says-internal-snap-documents-show-company-rcna173486" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a>, documents from the lawsuit reveal “‘Snap employees were discussing 10,000 user reports of sextortion each month,’ which is most likely ‘a small fraction of this abuse.’”
“In addition, the suit alleges internal documents show that reports of grooming and sextortion made about specific users largely went unanswered or unaddressed,” according to NBC NEWS.
Meta’s Instagram appears to be the <a href="https://info.thorn.org/hubfs/Research/Thorn_TrendsInFinancialSextortion_June2024.pdf?sm_guid=NzcxOTIyfDc4MzA5NjAxfC0xfGNlc2VAbmNvc2UuY29tfDcyMDIwMTJ8fDB8MHwyMjU0MzA0NTd8MTEzMnwwfDB8fDc2NjM5Nnww0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#1 platform for sextortion</a>. One key reason is the availability of follower lists, which predators can leverage against victims. While the platform has <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2024/04/new-tools-to-help-protect-against-sextortion-and-intimate-image-abuse/">taken steps</a> to identify and protect kids from sextortion, there’s still more they can do to prioritize the safety of minors.
According to <a href="https://www.thorn.org/research/library/financial-sextortion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a report</a> from Thorn titled “Trends in Financial Sextortion,” online payments are another avenue for exploitation. “The most common payment methods were Cash App and gift cards, followed by other easy-use payment apps such as PayPal and Venmo. The dominance of gift cards and Cash App has slightly increased over time relative to other payment services.”
With Cash App ranking as the <a href="https://info.thorn.org/hubfs/Research/Thorn_TrendsInFinancialSextortion_June2024.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#1 payment method</a> for financial sextortion, there is valid concern over many of their default features like public profiles and limited identity verification. These vulnerabilities could expose younger users to predatory behavior.
It is time to require a higher standard of care from online platforms.
One vital step to combat sextortion and image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) is the “Take It Down Act,” a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). This legislation has already gained significant momentum, passing unanimously in the Senate. Now, it is time for the House to act and make this bill law.
The “Take It Down Act” is a bold step toward creating meaningful protections for sextortion victims and victims of nonconsensually-shared explicit content. It addresses the crisis in two key ways, first, by mandating quick removal of harmful content, and then by criminalizing image-based abuse. Under the &#8220;Take It Down Act,&#8221; social media platforms and websites would be legally required to remove explicit images within 48 hours of a survivor’s request. These platforms must also make efforts to prevent the images&#8217; reappearance, reducing the cycle of trauma for victims. This bill also makes it a federal crime to publish explicit images of a person without their consent, including AI-generated or “deepfake” content. This brings critical accountability to perpetrators who weaponize private imagery.
By passing this legislation, Congress can empower victims to regain control while ensuring that perpetrators face appropriate consequences for their actions.
For young boys targeted by sextortion, the bill’s immediate removal mandate could mean the difference between life and death, offering assurance that exposure is not inevitable and their situation is not hopeless.
If you are a parent or guardian, use this article as a reason to talk with your kids now about this threat online — before they ever find themselves in a dangerous situation. It’s natural to react with fear or anger if a child makes an unsafe choice, but we never know what difference maintaining an open dialogue can make.
Sextortion is a profoundly isolating crime — but no victim or family needs to face it alone. If explicit images have already been shared, resources are available. &#8220;Take It Down,&#8221; a free service from the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children, helps remove nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit images taken before the age of 18. Visit <a href="https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">takeitdown.ncmec.org</a> for more information. The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative also offers critical support and resources for those affected. 
Congress can and must pass the “Take it Down Act,” helping to give every child the safety they deserve and ensuring no life is stolen by this devastating fraud.
* * *
Haley McNamara is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Programs at the <a href="http://www.endsexualexploitation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Center on Sexual Exploitation</a>, the leading national non-partisan organization exposing the links between all forms of sexual exploitation such as child sexual abuse, prostitution, sex trafficking and the public health harms of pornography. On X: @NCOSE
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
* * *
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dozens-of-teen-boys-take-their-own-lives-as-online-sextortion-cases-spike?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Dozens+Of+Teen+Boys+Take+Their+Own+Lives+As+Online+Sextortion+Cases+Spike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RELATED: Dozens Of Teen Boys Take Their Own Lives As Online Sextortion Cases Spike</a></h3>

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As Christians throughout the United States celebrate Christmas, tens of millions of their fellow believers face intense persecution for their beliefs and could be endangered if they choose to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Last year, at least 365 million Christians were persecuted for faith, including thousands who were killed and nearly 300,000 who were displaced, <a href="https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/persecution/persecution-trends/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to persecution watchdog Open Doors. Open Doors, which puts out a top fifty watchlist every year tracking persecution, said that violent attacks on Christians have only increased in recent years, especially throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. 
“Those things are rising because the church is rising, because the church is growing, because the church is having impact and influence in areas, and the gates of hell are trying to stamp that out,” Open Doors President Ryan Brown told The Daily Wire. 
While many Christians in the West celebrate the birth of Jesus at their churches and with their friends and family, there are many countries where doing so would be dangerous. 
Here are ten of the worst places for persecution around the world, <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Open Doors.
<h3>1. North Korea </h3>
The one non-Islamic country on the list, communist North Korea is notorious for its state enforced atheism and hatred of Christianity. Whole families can be sent to work camps if someone is found with a Bible in the Hermit Kingdom. 
According to Open Doors, there are around 400,000 Christians in the DPRK who regularly face heavy persecution. 
”Those in power see Christianity as being subversive and being a threat to their power. And in some cases they make an association because they see that as some kind of a tie to the West,” Brown told The Daily Wire. “In other cases it&#8217;s just this idea that anybody willing to lay down their life for something other than the state scares them.”
Brown said that many Christians who have successfully escaped North Korea will return to the country to “seek to live as Christ called them to live, to work and minister to their neighbors.”
<div id="attachment_818433" style="width: 980px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-818433" class="size-large wp-image-818433" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/North-Korean-military-970x576.jpg" alt="North Korean military officers march during a welcoming ceremony, June 19, 2024, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Russian President Vladimir Putin is arriving to North Korea with a two-days visit. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)" width="970" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/North-Korean-military-970x576.jpg 970w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/North-Korean-military-300x178.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/North-Korean-military-768x456.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/North-Korean-military.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px" />Contributor/Getty Images</div>
<h3>2. Somalia </h3>
Known for its constant instability, Somalia is also a very dangerous country for the few hundreds of Christians estimated to live in the country. The predominant form of persecution there comes from Islamic radicals opposed to the growth of Christianity.
Somalia is the first Sub-Saharan country on the list, a region Brown said has been seeing increased violence. 
“There’s been a continued upsurge in violence throughout sub-Saharan Africa where there is a massive issue right now where a total of over 16.2 million Christians in [the region] that have been displaced,” he said. 
Brown urges Christians to join the “<a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/getinvolved/arise-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arise Africa</a>” campaign which seeks to bring awareness to the widespread persecution in Sub-Saharan Africa. He urged them to pray for the African church and find ways to support them with educational and material needs.
<h3>3. Libya </h3>
This North African neighbor to Egypt was long ruled by dictator Muammar Gaddafi until 2011. The vast majority of Libyans are Sunni Muslims who adhere to Sharia Law. Libya is also home to just 35,000 Christians which is less than 1% of the country’s population. 
According to the U.S. <a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/libya/">Department of State</a>, &#8220;Muslims who converted to another religion faced intense social and economic pressure to renounce their faith and return to Islam.&#8221;
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<h3>4. Eritrea</h3>
Located on the western bank of the Red Sea, Eritrea borders Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti. While Christians make up nearly half (47%) of Eritrea’s population, they face deep challenges as the dictatorial government doesn’t tolerate Christianity <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/eritrea/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outside</a> of three recognized denominations. At least 1,000 Christians are currently estimated to be imprisoned there without having faced any formal charges.
<h3>5. Yemen</h3>
Christians are subject to intense persecution from Islamic radicals in Yemen, which is located at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. In 2024, the Islamic Houthi rebels attacked numerous commercial ships and oil tankers passing through the Red Sea on their way to the Suez Canal, successfully disrupting a major international shipping lane.
According to Open Doors, only a small number of Christians live in Yemen. Like many other Islamic countries, people who convert to Christianity can face severe consequences, even from their families, for their decision.
<div id="attachment_692811" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-692811" class="size-large wp-image-692811" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-454468418-866x576.jpg" alt="SANAA, YEMEN - SEPTEMBER 1: Supporters of Yemen's Shiite Houthi group stage anti government protest at Taghyeer square in capital Sanaa, Yemen on September 1, 2014. Shiite Houthi group blocked several main roads across the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Monday in response to a call by their leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi to escalate action against the government of Prime Minister Mohamed Basindawa. (Photo by Mohammed Hamoud/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)" width="866" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-454468418-866x576.jpg 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-454468418-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-454468418-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/GettyImages-454468418.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" />Mohammed Hamoud/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images</div>
<h3>6. Nigeria</h3>
While Nigeria is home to some very large churches, more Christians are killed in Nigeria than in any other country. In 2023, it was <a href="https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/stories/13-christians-killed-day-average/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that over 4,100 Christians were killed in the African country, largely due to Islamic persecution. 
&#8220;There were more people killed in Nigeria last year than all other places in the globe combined, nearly about 80% of those that were martyred for their faith occurred in Nigeria,&#8221; Brown said of those killed for their Christian faith. “In many ways, Nigeria is kind of a concentrated reflection of what we are seeing throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Last year, over 150 Christians <a href="https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/nigeria-attacks-christmas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">were</a> killed during Christmas Eve attacks by Islamic Fulani herdsmen.
<h3>7. Pakistan</h3>
Pakistan’s four million Christians also face intense persecution for their faith and are often openly prosecuted. According to <a href="https://www.opendoorsuk.org/countries-watch/pakistan/">Open Doors</a>, 1.8% of the population identify as Christian, but due to Pakistan&#8217;s strict blasphemy laws, very few can talk about their faith.
&#8220;Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws are often used to target minority groups, but Christians are disproportionately affected – in fact, roughly a quarter of all blasphemy accusations target Christians.&#8221;
Pakistani Christians also face &#8220;institutionalised discrimination&#8221; and are given &#8220;occupations that are deemed low, dirty and degrading – such as working as a sewer cleaner or on a brick kiln – are reserved for Christians by the authorities. Many are referred to as ‘chura’, a derogatory term meaning ‘filthy’.&#8221;
<h3>8. Sudan </h3>
Returning to Sub-Saharan Africa, Sudan’s two million Christians face intense persecution that has only been <a href="https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/persecution/countries/sudan/?gad_source=1&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAqQP2Ook0kQ403zkIS6qUIF6Z_g99&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAsaS7BhDPARIsAAX5cSBeC5bPV1MmoZNdmwvLl0noggWgPui5AlY9oIlBWuEjblqyMu-YM7UaAqfVEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exacerbated</a> by the civil unrest in the country as the National Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) battle it out for control. Millions of people, including Christians, have been displaced due to the fighting.
Brown said that Christians will often be targeted and mistreated in refugee camps and not be given access to equal support and aid.
<h3>9. Iran</h3>
Iran’s government targets Christians in Iran with a number of oppressive laws, <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including</a> making conversion to Christianity illegal.
“The government views conversion as an attempt by the West to undermine Islam and the Islamic government of Iran,” Open Doors reports. “This means that anyone who is discovered to be a member of a house church can be charged with a crime against national security, which can lead to long prison sentences.”
<div id="attachment_823711" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-823711" class="size-large wp-image-823711" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1037865852-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1037865852-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1037865852-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1037865852-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1037865852.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Arnulf Stoffel/picture alliance via Getty Images</div>
<h3>10. Afghanistan</h3>
Only a few thousand Christians are estimated to be in Afghanistan, but they face intense cultural persecution from the Taliban, which has no tolerance for Christianity.
The next World Watch report from Open Doors comes out in January, and Brown urges Christians to try to remember their persecuted brethren through prayer and support on a more frequent basis. He said that much of the persecution is happening in places where the church is actually growing and active.
“Even in those places it seems most dark, and yes it is dark and yes there is evil, but that evil is there because there is a hope there, because there is a light there, because the church is present and the church is working,” he said.
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Christian communities throughout <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nigeria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nigeria</a> have been completely destroyed by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/radical-islam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Islamic terrorists</a>, according to interviews with persecuted Christians conducted by religious liberty advocates.
The interviews were included in a <a href="https://media.opendoorsuk.org/document/pdf/No-Road-Home-Advocacy.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> released Sunday by Open Doors International, a religious freedom advocacy group, which found that thousands of Christians have been killed and displaced in Nigeria in increasing numbers since 2020. Open Doors interviewed hundreds of persecuted Christians, many of whom were sheltering in camps throughout the country.
“Extremist violence across parts of Nigeria over the last decade has resulted in mass displacement of Christian communities, amongst others,” the report said. “They have been singled out for violence, face harsh living conditions and experience faith-based challenges throughout their displacement journey. Nigerian state security personnel regularly failed to respond in a timely or effective manner to violent attacks against Christians.”
The violence has been primarily taking place in the northern states of Borno and Plateau, where there are lots of Islamic militants and violent Fulani herdsmen. About 2.7 times more Christians are killed in violent attacks than Muslims with at least 16,769 Christians being killed from October 2019 to September 2023. Christians are also the disproportionate victims of kidnappings.
For the report, Open Doors interviewed 292 Christians and humanitarian workers from January to April 2024 about their experiences with the persecution. Interviewees were primarily Christians who had been displaced within the country, with some workers from humanitarian agencies also interviewed.
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One Christian displaced from Borno said that all the churches in the area of Gwoza were burned to the ground.
“Now, all the churches in Gwoza have been destroyed by Boko Haram, and many of the Christians have fled and are living as IDPs in different locations,” the interviewee said. “Since the attacks and the destruction of churches in Gwoza, I have not returned, and the churches are still in their deplorable state since their destruction.”
Another Christian said that the Christian population of another area in Borno had been completely replaced.
“I think for Goshe even during the time of displacement most of the community members were Christians,” the interviewee said. “But now the resettled members are almost ninety percent Muslims in the place I went to. It used to be a Christian community, but now it is a Muslim community.”
Other interviewees said that they struggled to defend themselves from attacks because they were armed with only a few small guns while their attackers had more sophisticated weaponry.
One of the main groups behind the attacks is Boko Haram, a radical Islamic group that has targeted Christians for years.
“Boko Haram target people that are working with the church, maybe you have a position like Secretary or you have any position in church, you are a target. In every community they have a list of people they are looking for,” an interviewee said.
If they survive the attacks on their villages, then the Christians also face struggles finding food and shelter. Many of the camps for displaced people discriminate against Christians and do not give aid to those with Christian names. Many people also refuse to rent out property to Christians.
Open Doors CEO Ryan Brown <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/thousands-christians-deliberately-targeted-killed-nigeria-new-report-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News on Tuesday that much of the world was ignoring the violence against Christians in Nigeria.
&#8220;The rest of the world seems to be turning a blind eye,&#8221; he said. &#8220;People are not talking about it. People are not aware of the realities, and therefore people aren&#8217;t doing anything about it.&#8221;

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The First Lady of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nigeria">Nigeria</a> made comments about her hopes for young ladies dressing modestly just after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/meghan-markle">Meghan Markle</a>, Duchess of Sussex, faced backlash for wearing revealing outfits during a visit to the country.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of President Bola Tinubu, did not specifically mention Markle as someone who dresses indecently, but rather indicated American celebrities generally while voicing her criticism.
“We have to salvage our children,” she said, per <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/05/27/entertainment/nigerias-first-lady-slams-u-s-celebs-after-meghan-markle-visit/">The New York Post</a>. “We see the way they dress. We are not having the Met Gala. And everyone, the nakedness, is just everywhere and the men are well-clothed.”
“Tell them we don’t accept nakedness in our culture,” she added. “That is not beautiful. It’s not beautiful at all.”
“They’re all beautiful girls, but they should be confident in who they are,” Tinubu said at another point. “We are fashionable, we see what is going on.”
“When mothers stand with you, the house is in order,” she added. “Looking ahead, we must endeavor to become the unifying force in our homes and our communities, to bring about greater prosperity for our nation.”
Tinubu did mention Markle publicizing that she is 43% Nigerian according to DNA test results.
“Why did Meghan come here looking for Africa? That is something we have to take home with [us]. We know who we are. Don’t lose who you are,” the First Lady said in her speech.
Markle, who stepped back from her duties as a senior working royal in January 2020, attracted negative attention earlier this month during her visit to Nigeria due to the revealing outfits she wore. Critics said it was disrespectful for her to dress that way in a country that identifies as mostly Muslim.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/prince-harry">Prince Harry</a> and the Duchess of Sussex visited Nigeria for the first time this month since they retired from the working royal life. The couple was there to promote the Invictus Games, an international sports competition that Harry started for veterans who are injured in action.
The royal couple was celebrating the tenth anniversary of the games and expressed their excitement over plans for a new Invictus Centre in Nigeria. “Seeing the plans for the new Invictus Center gives me goosebumps,” Prince Harry said, per The Post.

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It was only a very short time after Jesus’s birth over 2,000 years ago that persecution began.
As related in the second chapter of Matthew, King Herod sought to find the whereabouts of the newborn Jesus in order to kill him, fearing that he might challenge his rule one day. After Jesus and his family escaped into Egypt, Herod gave vent to his rage by slaughtering the children of Bethlehem.
Yet Herod’s rage was in vain. He himself died soon after, and Jesus soon returned and began his ministry.
This same pattern plays out across the world now more than ever. Governments and enemies of Christianity persecute Christians who recognize that their first allegiance is to God. But because of the faith of these Christians, they give witness to the enduring strength of Christ, and triumph.
Christmas is a time to remember the persecuted, as Jesus and the Holy Innocents were persecuted that first Christmas. But it is also a time to give thanks to God when their witness has triumphed over their persecutors.
Northern Nigeria is a place where the Church faces some of the worst persecution on earth. According to Open Doors, roughly <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/persecution-trends/">90%</a> of all martyrs in 2022 — over 5,000 Christians murdered for their faith — were from Nigeria.
One of those martyrs was Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, a Christian student at a university in Sokoto State, who in May 2022 was <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/05/a-christian-stoned-to-death-for-blasphemy-in-nigeria-when-will-it-end/">stoned to death</a> and burnt by her Muslim classmates because of her faith in Jesus. Another Christian woman, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253128/nigerian-mother-charged-with-blasphemy-for-defending-murdered-christian">Rhoda Jatau</a>, faced a mob and was arrested for blasphemy after the mob accused her of sharing a video that insulted Islam because it condemned the lynching of Deborah.
Rhoda sat in a jail in Bauchi State, Nigeria, for over 18 months because of the accusations. She only saw her family and lawyers at court hearings.
But through her witness to the injustice of the treatment of Christians in Northern Nigeria, both by extremist Islamist mobs and baseless prosecutions, her case caused national outrage.
Earlier this month, after enormous national outcry, Rhoda was finally <a href="https://adfinternational.org/news/rhoda-jatau-bail">released</a> on bail, able to spend Christmas this year with her family in safety. While the charges against her are still pending, many within Nigeria and internationally are pushing for them to be dropped fully.
Other legal victories this year within Nigeria may make it easier for Christians in the northern part of the country to practice their faith. As with many places where Christians are a religious minority, converts to Christianity, particularly from Islam, often find it extremely dangerous to practice their faith. <a href="https://adfinternational.org/news/evangelist-acquitted-nigeria">Daniel Kefee</a>* was an evangelist in Northern Nigeria who brought a young Muslim woman, Hafsatu*, to Christ. But when her family found out, members of her family threatened to kill her. She sought out help from Daniel, who found a Christian residential school that could care for her.
For helping Hafsatu, Daniel was charged by Nigerian authorities with kidnapping. Yet Daniel and his lawyers bravely presented to the court the reality of what had happened. In an astonishing result given the region, the judge not only acquitted Daniel, but prodded the prosecutors, asking them, “should the defendant have left the girl, what would have happened with her?”
Also this year, in another state in Northern Nigeria, a young woman named <a href="https://adfinternational.org/news/mary-nigeria">Mary Olowe</a>* similarly converted to Christianity and faced death threats from her family. She was able to flee and filed for a restraining order against those who threatened her. Once again, the court issued a remarkable decision, granting the order and explicitly recognizing as a fundamental right Mary’s ability to change her religion from Islam to Christianity without facing any threat of violence.
Even when a remedy through the courts is not possible, we often can see God working through the persecuted to further His kingdom. In Sudan, <a href="https://adfinternational.org/news/nada-hamouda-us">Nada and Hamouda</a> were a married Christian couple who were baselessly charged with adultery by prosecutors after their conversions to Christianity from Islam. When Hamouda, the husband, converted after encountering the local church, Nada’s brother threatened the couple, and a Sharia court dissolved their marriage. But soon after, Nada returned to her husband and became a Christian as well. That is when Nada’s brother sought the police to bring charges against them.
Nada and Hamouda could not remain in Sudan. Either they would be convicted and face lashes and potential exile, or they might be freed but hunted down by Islamists. With the help of international partners, they were able to flee to the United States. Now, they have become leaders within their local church community in the U.S., sharing their stories of persecution, witnessing to the grace of the Gospel, and spending their first Christmas <a href="https://youtu.be/L3T5q4JlOBQ?si=kq8OnohJa9nuZjvZ">free and in safety</a>.
We remember the vulnerable and the persecuted at Christmas because of the vulnerability and persecution that our own Savior faced even in those first nights in Bethlehem. But let us also see how God is revealing the hope found in the Gospel and the promise of Christmas even now in these stories from just this year around the world.
* * *
Sean Nelson is an international human rights lawyer serving as Legal Counsel for Global Religious Freedom at ADF International. ADF International has supported the cases of Rhoda Jatau, Daniel Kefee*, Mary Olowe*, and Nada and Hamouda.
*These names have been changed to protect these individuals’ identities.
 The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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A 14-year-old boy who was kidnapped from a Christian school in Africa by a group of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/radical-islam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">radical Islamic</a> Fulani herdsmen returned home last week, more than two years after his captivity began.
Treasure Ayuba, one of 121 students who were kidnapped from the Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna, Nigeria, finally escaped, according to a local pastor.
“Glory be to God! Glory be to God!! Glory be to God!!!” Pastor Israel Akanji, the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, wrote on social media. “Treasure Ayuba, the last boy who was still with the bandits who kidnapped the 121 students of Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna, on July 5, 2021, has just returned home!”
Ayuba had been captured by Islamic Fulani herdsmen just days after his 12th birthday and forced to march hours away where he was held hostage, <a href="https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/treasure-nigeria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Open Doors, an organization that monitors Christian persecution around the world.
“Christians from the Nigerian Baptist Convention, which runs Bethel High School, were forced to negotiate with the terrorists over ransom demands,” local pastor Winyadebi Rolis said. “When the convention first started negotiating with the extremists over ransom payments, they thought that all the children would be released. However, to the anguish of the parents, the children were only released in batches with extremists then demanding more money to release the next batch of students.”
Some of the payments demanded by the kidnappers exceeded $300,000. Ayuba’s captors reportedly planned to hold him until he converted to Islam. Ayuba did not and was able to slip away, making it back home where he showed up at his mom’s house, according to Open Doors.
“Treasure somehow managed to sneak away and escape from the extremists,” Winyadebi said. “He walked at night and hid during the day. Eventually he found hunters who took him to his hometown and from there he was able to find his way home.&#8221;
He was the last student to make it home and is expected to receive trauma counseling.
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Nigeria is one the worst countries in the world for Christian persecution, with thousands being killed every year. Christians in the African nation have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/46-nigerian-christians-killed-in-terrorists-attacks-as-government-accused-of-negligence-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> the government of negligence and asked them to take stronger steps to counter the violence.

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14-Year-Old Returns Home 2 Years After Being Captured From Christian School In Nigeria

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Radical Islam

Forty-six <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/persecution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christians were killed</a> over two days after terrorists in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nigeria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nigeria</a> targeted Christian villages, according to a new report. 
The killings happened on June 3 and 4 in the southern Nigerian villages of Michihe, Achamegh and Mbagene Kpav, and Imande Mbakange, Morning Star News <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/46-christians-killed-amid-2-days-of-attacks-in-nigeria.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. In the wake of the killings, local leaders have accused Nigeria&#8217;s government of turning a blind eye to the violence. 
“Altogether, 46 Christians were killed by the terrorists in the two days of attacks on our communities,” a statement from the Shitile Development Association (SDA) said. “Most disturbing also is the fact that the identity of the perpetrators is known to security agencies and the Nigerian government, and yet nothing has been done to end this carnage.”
Militant Islamic Fulani herdsmen, a nomadic group that is known to frequently attack Christians in the African country, have been accused of orchestrating the attacks. The recent attack comes as some religious freedom advocates have said that the persecution of Christians in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/africa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">African</a> nation should be seen as genocide.
“As our people are fleeing, herders are occupying these areas and grazing freely on our farms,” the statement from the SDA said. “Though due to the fear of general insecurity, it is difficult to move from village to village to gather exact statistics, hordes of lives have been horrendously eliminated in several villages across the land, such that the whole land is thrown into wailing and mourning.”
Local council official Alfred Atera condemned the attacks, calling on the security agencies to end the violence. 
“These senseless killings by the terrorists are inhuman and barbaric. I call on all security agencies to double their efforts in combating these renewed attacks as a matter of urgency,” Atera said. 
Police in Benue, the state where the attacks took place, said that they had sent police and security personnel to the area to stop the violence. 
The attack in Benue follows weeks of recent attacks in the Plateau state, where 28 Christian churches were destroyed and a reported 300 Christians killed. The destruction <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/hundreds-of-christians-killed-in-3-weeks-of-attacks-in-nigeria.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> led to the displacement of about 30,000 Christians in the state.
A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-report-estimates-that-over-8000-nigerian-christians-killed-kidnapped-last-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent report put ou</a>t by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) estimated that over 5,000 Nigerian Christians were killed in 2022 while over 3,000 were kidnapped.
The perpetrators are believed to be members of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/radical-islam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">radical Islamic</a> terror groups, including Fulani herdsmen groups, Boko Haram, and ISAWP (Islamic State West Africa Province).

NIGERIA-FULANI-CONFLICT

46 Nigerian Christians Killed In Terrorist Attacks As Government Accused Of Negligence: Report

A United States convoy was reportedly attacked in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nigeria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nigeria</a> this week, resulting in three people being kidnapped and four others being killed.
CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/16/africa/nigeria-us-convoy-attack-intl-afr/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the attack took place in the southeastern Anambra state and that local officials confirmed to the network that the assailants “murdered two police operatives and two staff of the US consulate and set their bodies and their vehicles ablaze.”
The incident reportedly happened approximately 40 miles away from the state capital in the town of Atani, according to a <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/gunmen-attack-us-convoy-southeast-nigeria-2-policemen-99375265" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Associated Press. Officials have pinned the blame on separatists who want to start their own country and whose leader is currently on trial for terrorism.
John Kirby, spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, said that none of those who were killed were Americans.
“No U.S. citizens were involved and therefore there were no U.S. citizens hurt,” he said. “We are aware of some casualties, perhaps even some killed.”
Local police officials told CNN that no Americans were even in the convoy.
“The security of our personnel is always paramount, and we take extensive precautions when organizing trips to the field,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack by any groups. Islamic terrorism is prevalent throughout Nigeria and the entire continent of Africa.
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Attackers carried out a separate attack in Nigeria&#8217;s central Plateau state on Tuesday, killing at least <a href="https://www.barrons.com/news/at-least-30-people-killed-in-clashes-in-central-nigeria-govt-6170a31c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">30 people</a>, most of whom were <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/armed-attackers-nigeria-kill-20-mostly-women-children-2023-05-16/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described</a> as women and children.

TOPSHOT-NIGERIA-UNREST-DEMONSTRATION-KIDNAPPING

U.S. Convoy Attacked In Nigeria, 4 Killed: Report

United States

A new report has estimated that over 5,000 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nigeria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nigerian</a> Christians were killed in 2022 while over 3,000 were kidnapped.
The <a href="https://intersociety-ng.org/5068-citizens-massacred-for-being-christians-in-nigeria-in-2022-1041-slaughtered-in-first-100-days-of-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a>, put out by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), comes as some religious freedom advocates have said that the persecution of Christians in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/africa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">African</a> nation should be seen as genocide.
&#8220;[Intersociety] is emotionally dedicating this special investigative Report to 1,041 slain and disappeared victims of the Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and other Jihadists&#8217; genocidal attacks carried out across Nigeria in the first 100 days of 2023,&#8221; the report says. &#8220;The under-listed slain and wounded victims also represent 5,068 others slain or caused to disappear without traces till date by Nigerian Jihadists in 2022.&#8221;
The estimates were based on reports from a variety of sources, including media outlets, government reports, nongovernmental organizations statistics, and estimates from diplomats. The report also said that over 1,000 Christians have been killed in 2023.
Intersociety said that the violence was most prevalent in the states of Benue, Kaduna, Plateau, Taraba, Niger, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, and Kebbi, <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/over-5000-christians-killed-in-nigeria-in-2022-ngo.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> The Christian Post. Violence has long plagued the African country, with the northern part being more Islamic and the southern region more Christian.
The perpetrators are believed to be members of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/radical-islam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">radical Islamic</a> terror groups, including Fulani herdsmen groups, Boko Haram, and ISAWP (Islamic State West Africa Province). According to the report, the Nigerian military is also responsible for some of the killings. Many Nigerian Christians have long asked for the government to do more to stop the killings and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nigerian-pastor-says-government-fully-supports-killings-of-christians-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have accused them</a> of encouraging the violence.
The report, which was compiled by criminologist Emeka Umeagbalasi, is also critical of Christian leaders in the country. “The dry material quest and lackadaisical attitudes of the Nigerian Christian leaders are also forcing Christian converts to leave the Church in droves to embrace other non-Christian denominations,” the report says. “It must be warned that if extreme care is not taken to rescue the Christendom and the Church, the churches or church buildings in Nigeria will become the present day Turkish church monuments in fifty years time or less than that.”
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The news comes just months after the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> kept Nigeria off of a religious liberty watchlist for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/victory-for-the-terrorists-blinken-faces-backlash-after-taking-nigeria-off-of-religious-violence-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second year</a> in a row. In December, the State Department drew the ire of religious liberty advocates for leaving Nigeria off its <a href="https://www.state.gov/religious-freedom-designations-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">list</a> of “Countries of Particular Concern list,” a government watch list for countries that endorse or allow religious violence.

NIGERIA-UNREST-FUNERAL

New Report Estimates That Over 8,000 Nigerian Christians Killed, Kidnapped Last Year

Religious Liberty

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