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.

Catholic Protest In Lagos

90% Of All Christian Martyrs In 2022 Were From This African Country

Africa

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

Christians

Court

Murder

Nigeria

Readers Pass

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.

NIGERIA-UNREST-KIDNAPPING-CRIME

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

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

Christianity

Persecution

Radical Islam

Terrorism

World

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

Crime

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

Religion

Religious Liberty

The two Nigerian brothers who say they were paid by actor Jussie Smollett to stage an attack on him in January 2019, engendering an outcry from the political Left including Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, are speaking out about the incident and its aftermath for the first time.
Smollett, the former “Empire” star who paid $3,500 to Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, has never admitted that the attack, which he claimed was perpetrated by white supremacists, was a hoax. The brothers said that the attack was a hoax after they were in jail for nearly two days. Smollett was convicted of five felony counts of disorderly conduct in December 2021. In March 2022, he was sentenced to 150 days in county jail but only ended up spending six days behind bars after an appeal.
“The police did ask us what Jussie&#8217;s motive was, but Jussie did not really tell me a motive,” Abimbola told <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/brothers-in-jussie-smollett-hoax-break-silence-say-actor-wanted-to-be-poster-child-for-activism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox Nation</a>. “[But] from what he was speaking about, or talking about, I would say what he wanted to accomplish was to increase his star level.&#8221;
The comments were made in an interview for a new Fox Nation documentary called &#8220;Jussie Smollett: Anatomy of a Hoax.&#8221;
“He wanted to be the poster child for activism,” Olabinjo said, as Abimbola added, “That’s what I wanted to say. He wanted to be the hero for gay people, for black people,” The Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11856587/Brothers-paid-Jussie-Smollett-attack-Chicago-street-break-silence.html?ns_mchannel=rss&amp;ns_campaign=1490&amp;ito=social-twitter_mailonline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported.</a>
“I thought he was a good actor, but I also thought this guy was a fraud,” Abimbola said, referencing Smollett’s attitude in interviews after the incident. “This guy is really just sitting here, lying to these people. Lying through his teeth, and not caring. &#8230; I did feel betrayed by Jussie and what he had done. I didn&#8217;t know what to do — I wasn&#8217;t ready to say anything. Like, I was mute. And I didn&#8217;t want to say anything.”
“Insane. That&#8217;s when I really saw a different side of Jussie,” he said. “Like, dude, really? This is when I knew that this dude was like a supervillain.”
When the interviewer asked the brothers if they were “believable white supremacists,” Abimbola laughed. “One hundred percent! Look at me!” he said.
Abimbola claimed that Smollett would ask him to “help him procure or get weed, and different types of paraphernalia. &#8230; He would ask me to do it because he’s not from Chicago, and he wanted to keep a lower profile. &#8230; He did not want to get the drug dealer’s number – he wanted me to be the middleman and to get the drugs for him.”
At the time, the Smollett hoax was quickly picked up as a talking point by major Democrats, including Biden.
Biden <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1090422326783606784" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>, &#8220;What happened today to<a href="https://twitter.com/JussieSmollett"> @JussieSmollett</a> must never be tolerated in this country. We must stand up and demand that we no longer give this hate safe harbor; that homophobia and racism have no place on our streets or in our hearts. We are with you, Jussie.” Harris <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1090361495119187969?" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called the incident</a> a “modern-day lynching.”

Collage Maker-14-Mar-2023-08-19-AM-3219

‘Like A Supervillain’: Nigerian Brothers Hired By Jussie Smollett Speak Out For First Time

Nigerian Brothers Hired By Jussie Smollett Speak Out For First Time

Chicago

Hate Crime

Joe Biden

Jussie Smollett

U.S.

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/georgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Georgia</a> secretary of state’s office is investigating failed gubernatorial candidate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/stacey-abrams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stacey Abrams</a>’ New Georgia Project for “financial irregularities.”
The probe into Abrams’ voting-rights charity comes after reports by The Washington Free Beacon outlined financial mismanagement by several of the charity’s former top executives, according to the <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/georgia-secretary-of-state-investigating-financial-irregularities-at-stacey-abrams-charity-following-free-beacon-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Free Beacon</a>. Subpoenas in the state investigation are expected to be sent soon.
In December, the New Georgia Project was <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/stacey-abramss-nonprofit-flouts-state-charity-laws-across-country/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> to be soliciting donations in at least nine states without a license. Some state laws require charities to file financial disclosures with the IRS before raising money within a state’s borders.
Last month, the New Georgia Project was <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/stacey-abrams-charity-has-a-500000-problem-in-its-latest-tax-filing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> to be missing roughly $600,000 in unaccounted for spending. The group’s 2021 financial records showed payments of $533,846 for consulting and $67,500 in grant money to the Black Male Initiative. The Black Male Initiative never reported receiving the payments, however.
The 2021 filings were handed to the IRS two months after they were due and three months after the ouster of former New Georgia Project CEO Nse Ufot. Ufot is a Nigeria-born community organizer who was living in Canada in 2014 when Abrams recruited her to run the New Georgia Project. Ufot left the group in October.
New Georgia Project’s 2020 financial filings showed $0 paid in payroll taxes despite employing 173 workers, an anomaly and red flag, according to nonprofit experts interviewed by the Free Beacon. The financial forms included other oddities, as well.
Abrams is a prominent voting rights activist and twice-failed candidate for governor of Georgia. In 2022, Abrams lost her latest bid to become Georgia’s top executive by over 7 points to Republican Governor Brian Kemp.
Since her election defeat, Abrams has returned to activism. This week, she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stacey-abrams-pops-up-in-nigeria-as-an-election-observer-losing-side-promptly-alleges-rigged-results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeared</a> in Nigeria to monitor its elections, traveling with a group from the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute.
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“I would say that despite a slow start with the [violence]” said Abrams, updating a reporter on the state of the election. “we have seen orderly lines, we have seen long lines, signaling strong enthusiasm. But we’ve also seen a great deal of cooperation and a very peaceful conversation among voters. They want to be heard, and they are willing to stand in line and have patience, because they know that’s their path to progress.”

Stacey Abrams

Stacey Abrams’ Voting Rights Charity Facing State Investigation Over Shady Finances

Elections

Georgia

Twice-failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inflation-hurting-your-family-thats-why-we-need-abortion-stacey-abrams-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stacey Abrams</a> popped up in Nigeria this week, serving as part of a 40-member crew observing polls in the African nation&#8217;s elections, and now parties that appear to have lost the election are claiming that it was rigged.
Abrams, who is traveling with the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute, told the media on Saturday that there was much excitement on the ground amongst voters. 
&#8220;I would say that despite a slow start with the [violence]&#8221; Abrams said over the weekend, &#8220;we have seen orderly lines, we have seen long lines, signaling strong enthusiasm. But we&#8217;ve also seen a great deal of cooperation and a very peaceful conversation among voters. They want to be heard, and they are willing to stand in line and have patience, because they know that&#8217;s their path to progress.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Stacey Abrams just won Nigeria’s election! <a href="https://t.co/g6khnm6mpv">pic.twitter.com/g6khnm6mpv</a>
&mdash; Dr. Jebra Faushay (@JebraFaushay) <a href="https://twitter.com/JebraFaushay/status/1630626813587144722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Despite Abrams&#8217; glowing remarks, it should be noted that Nigeria has a very strict voter ID law that uses voter ID machines to protect the vote. Abrams has long <a href="https://www.247media.com.ng/how-to-check-and-get-voters-card-id-number-in-nigeria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> that voter ID laws in U.S. are tantamount to oppression and racism.
Well, as of Tuesday, both opposition parties in Nigeria&#8217;s presidential elections were calling for a do-over claiming that the results were corrupted in part because voter ID technology was stolen from certain polling places, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/26/election-count-under-way-despite-some-extended-voting-in-nigeria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">causing delays and glitches</a>.
The People&#8217;s Democratic Party, Labour Party, and African Democratic Congress released a joint statement claiming that they had lost confidence in the electoral body chairman, Mahmood Yakubu.
&#8220;We call on the international community to note that the results being declared at the National Collation centre have been heavily doctored and manipulated and do not reflect the wishes of Nigerians expressed at the polls on February 25, 2023,&#8221; the statement <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/28/africa/nigeria-election-tinubu-leads-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
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Abrams&#8217; posse appeared to concur with that evaluation.
&#8220;The election fell well short of Nigerian citizens&#8217; reasonable expectations,&#8221; a spokesperson for the International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) <a href="https://www.kake.com/story/48469537/opposition-parties-in-nigeria-call-for-fresh-elections-as-ruling-party-takes-the-lead" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the press.
Abrams, for her part, also has experience decrying election results. The Georgia Democrat refused to concede on election night in 2018, only to spend the next four years bemoaning that Gov. Brian Kemp (R) had effectively stolen the election from her. Then, after he signed election reform laws that included items such as voter ID, she alleged he was suppressing the black vote even further.
After primary and general election turnout saw record early numbers with little wait times and near zero reports of voting difficulty, she alleged that the overall smooth process was not necessarily evidence that suppression did not exist. Other Democrats <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-georgias-record-voter-turnout-is-actually-voter-suppression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concurred</a> with that assessment.
In the waning days of her campaign, she spent her time appearing at concerts pushing abortion and claimed that Republicans wanted to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stacey-abrams-tells-oprah-elect-me-or-transgender-kids-will-be-banned-from-playing-with-friends-parents-will-be-forced-to-lie-and-gay-people-wont-be-protected" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outlaw certain friends from playing with each other</a> and would force parents to lie.
Similar to Nigeria&#8217;s apparent lack of transparency in their elections, <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/12/19/stacey-abrams-campaign-reportedly-1-million-in-debt-after-midterm-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Abrams&#8217;s former campaign staffers</a> were left wondering where all of Abrams&#8217; money went. Despite raising more than $100 million, her team ended up more than $1 million in debt while her staffers went without paychecks as of December.
Through it all, Abrams has not ruled out running for higher office. Perhaps she can finagle her way into power in Nigeria if another election takes place.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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Election

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> has kept <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nigeria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nigeria</a> 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 even as thousands of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/christianity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christians</a> have been reportedly killed in the African nation. 
On Friday, 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. 
“Secretary Blinken&#8217;s continued refusal to place Nigeria on the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) when the Biden administration should be confronting President Buhari is appalling,” said Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/dec/2/religious-liberty-panel-others-blast-blinken-omitt/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&amp;utm_medium=twitter&amp;utm_source=socialnetwork" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Washington Times. 
Smith, the ranking member of the Africa subcommittee for the House Foreign Affairs Committee, added that there would be oversight over the decision with the new Congress in January. 
“The deterioration of human rights in Nigeria — the topic of congressional hearings I have chaired — and the Biden administration’s totally unjustified retreat from the fight to protect victims of religious persecution means there will be an oversight item in the new Congress,” he said. 
A spokesperson for the State Department told the Times that Secretary of State <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/antony-blinken" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Antony Blinken</a> “determined that the status of religious freedom in Nigeria did not meet the legal threshold” to be included on the list.” The spokesperson added that Nigeria was still a “concern” and that the State Department would “press” the country’s government to address religious liberty concerns. 
United States Commissioner on International Religious Freedom Chair Nury Turkel disagreed with Blinken’s decision, saying that conditions in Nigeria “clearly” merited its inclusion on the list. 
The decision to keep Nigeria off the list came following <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/nigeria-4000-christians-killed-over-2300-abducted-this-year.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that thousands of Christians have been killed or abducted this year in the West African nation. According to a report put out last month by the International Society for Civil Liberty and Rule of Law, over 4,000 Christians have been killed and 2,000 kidnapped by Islamic jihadist groups. 
The group accused Nigeria’s government of being being “friendly” to some of the terrorist groups, while others have demanded the government take more action to crack down on Christian persecution. 
Before the State Department&#8217;s decision, the Alliance Defending Freedom and Established By Revelation Media put out a <a href="https://stopkillingchristians.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">petition</a> urging the Biden administration to put Nigeria back on the CPC list.
“We cannot remain silent while our brothers and sisters are being persecuted and martyred for their faith. The killings must stop. The torture must stop. The least we can do as Americans is take a stand by acknowledging the very real evil taking place in Nigeria at this time,” the petition said. 
Nigeria is ranked as the seventh most difficult country in the world to be a Christian, <a href="https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/nigeria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Open Doors, a group that monitors Christian persecution around the world.

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‘Appalling’: Biden Admin Blasted For Leaving Nigeria Off Religious Violence List After Reportedly Thousands Of Killings

'Appalling': Biden Admin Blasted For Leaving Nigeria Off Religious Violence List After Reportedly Thousands Of Killings

Antony Blinken

Biden Admin

Hours before the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death of Queen Elizabeth</a> was announced, a Carnegie Mellon professor blasted the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-kingdom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Kingdom</a> as a &#8220;genocidal empire&#8221; and wished the 96-year-old monarch “excruciating” pain.
Professor Uju Anya, who teaches linguistics and critical race studies at Carnegie Mellon University,” according to the website, sent out her maleficent remark via Twitter. At the time, the beloved queen&#8217;s death had not yet been announced.
“I heard the chief monarch of a thieving raping genocidal empire is finally dying. May her pain be excruciating,” she tweeted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Pretty sure she deleted this disgusting tweet. But the internet is forever. <a href="https://t.co/YsuZUWqjDG">pic.twitter.com/YsuZUWqjDG</a>
&mdash; Nina Infinity (@Nina7Infinity) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nina7Infinity/status/1567932169607053312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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After the news broke of the queen’s death, Anya, who hails from Nigeria, doubled down with another nasty social media missive.
“If anyone expects me to express anything but disdain for the monarch who supervised a government that sponsored the genocide that massacred and displaced half my family and the consequences of which those alive today are still trying to overcome, you can keep wishing upon a star,” she wrote.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
If anyone expects me to express anything but disdain for the monarch who supervised a government that sponsored the genocide that massacred and displaced half my family and the consequences of which those alive today are still trying to overcome, you can keep wishing upon a star.
&mdash; Uju Anya (@UjuAnya) <a href="https://twitter.com/UjuAnya/status/1567933661114429441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Anya was apparently referring to the massacre of between 8,000 to 30,000 Igbo people in 1966 in Nigeria, when a reported one million Igbos fled to the eastern part of Nigeria, where Igbos dominated. On May 30, 1967, the head of the Eastern Region, Odumegwu Ojukwu, declared the state of Biafra.
Great Britain supported the Nigerian forces at war with Biafra, which shrank to one-tenth of its size during the war. An estimated 1 million Biafra children starved to death in a human rights crisis that horrified the world.
When an apparent Nigerian on social media slammed her, writing, “Why don&#8217;t you come back to Nigeria and live under ‘your people’s’ leadership?”, Anya tartly replied, “Come here and carry me,” prompting the Nigerian to answer, “We already have enough hypocrites here.”
Anya answered, “I didn’t ask about your mama.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I didn’t ask about your mama.
&mdash; Uju Anya (@UjuAnya) <a href="https://twitter.com/UjuAnya/status/1567879994008915969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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That prompted one social media user to slam Anya, saying of the queen, “She&#8217;ll always be a better person than you could ever hope to be.”
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She&#39;ll always be a better person than you could ever hope to be. <a href="https://twitter.com/UjuAnya?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UjuAnya</a>
&mdash; ISMV Star Fortress &#8211; Back in the Bubble. (@StarFortress) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarFortress/status/1567934630321594368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Anya served as assistant professor of clinical education at the University of Southern California from 2012-2016, then as assistant professor of second language learning at Penn State University before working at Carnegie Mellon.
“I come from a multilingual, multicultural, multinational background,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/news/news-stories/2022/january/fs-anya.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> in an interview on the CMU website. &#8220;I was born in Nigeria to a Nigerian dad and mom from Trinidad and Tobago. I came to the U.S. when I was 10 years old.”
The day before her incendiary tweet targeting Queen Elizabeth, Anya offered more insight into her personal life.
“Someone DM’d me the most hilarious thread of Nigerian homophobes discussing their obsession with my life as a lesbian once married to a man,&#8221; she tweeted. &#8220;I save so much money living rent free in people’s heads.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Someone DM’d me the most hilarious thread of Nigerian homophobes discussing their obsession with my life as a lesbian once married to a man. I save so much money living rent free in people’s heads 😂😂😂 <a href="https://t.co/TEE3JHZSOJ">pic.twitter.com/TEE3JHZSOJ</a>
&mdash; Uju Anya (@UjuAnya) <a href="https://twitter.com/UjuAnya/status/1567503625534013443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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“Haters are my most loyal fans, I swear. Spending obscene amounts of their precious life watching and envying mine,” she added.
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Haters are my most loyal fans, I swear. Spending obscene amounts of their precious life watching and envying mine 😂😂
&mdash; Uju Anya (@UjuAnya) <a href="https://twitter.com/UjuAnya/status/1567562861056065537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Nigeria in 1960 gained its independence from Great Britain, which had controlled it since 1861 and made it a colony in 1914. In 1963, the African nation became a republic.
Bloodshed has continued in the troubled nation in recent years. In May, 20 Nigerian Christians were murdered by the Islamic group ISIS; in June, 40 Christians were murdered by terrorists in a church in Owo; as far back as 2014, 59 Christian school boys were burned alive or shot and 276 Christian school girls were kidnapped.
According to <a href="https://breakpoint.org/christian-genocide-in-nigeria/">Breakpoint</a>, “13 Christians per day were killed in Nigeria last year. &#8230; In the last 12 years, 43,000 Christians have been killed by Islamic radicals in Nigeria.”

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Death

Professors

Queen Elizabeth

Terrorists massacred dozens of Christian churchgoers in Nigeria on Sunday prompting a top leader in the country to promise that every resource at the country&#8217;s disposal would be used to track down those responsible and bring them to justice.
The terrorists rode up on motorcycles and began shooting those who showed up for mass at St Francis Catholic Church in the town of Owo. Explosives were also reportedly used.
&#8220;A doctor at a hospital in Owo told Reuters that at least 50 bodies had been brought in to two hospitals in the town from the attack,&#8221; Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/gunmen-kill-worshippers-during-church-service-nigeria-media-2022-06-05/">reported</a>. &#8220;The doctor, who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the press, also said there was a need for blood donations to treat the injured.&#8221;
Guns are strictly regulated in Nigeria as citizens have &#8220;no legal right to gun ownership&#8221; and &#8220;civilians are banned from owning handguns, military rifles or machine guns,&#8221; AFP <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20180609-banned-weapons-stoke-deadly-violence-nigeria">reported</a>. &#8220;Licenses can be obtained from the police for double-barrel shotguns and hunting guns, but permission for this has been suspended because of the security situation.&#8221;
CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/05/africa/mass-shooting-nigeria-church-intl/index.html">noted</a> that such attacks are rare in the area but are more common in northern part of country where Islamic terrorists who belong to Boko Haram carry out such attacks. Knife-wielding Islamic terrorists belonging to ISIS <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10805093/Knife-wielding-ISIS-fanatics-execute-20-Christians-Nigeria-avenge-killings-Middle-East.html">executed</a> 20 Christians in Nigeria last month.
&#8220;I am deeply saddened by the unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people of Owo, worshiping at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Today,&#8221; Arakunrin Akeredolu, who is the governor of Ondo State in Nigeria, wrote on Twitter. &#8220;The vile &amp; satanic attack is a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of Owo Kingdom who have enjoyed relative peace over the years.&#8221;
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I am deeply saddened by the unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people of Owo, worshiping at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Today. 
The vile &amp; satanic attack is a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of Owo Kingdom who have enjoyed relative peace over the years. <a href="https://t.co/30fMbfnOxc">pic.twitter.com/30fMbfnOxc</a>
&mdash; Arakunrin Akeredolu (@RotimiAkeredolu) <a href="https://twitter.com/RotimiAkeredolu/status/1533447037395550209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;It is a black Sunday in Owo. Our hearts are heavy,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Our peace and tranquility have been attacked by the enemies of the people. This is a personal loss, an attack on our dear state.&#8221;
Akeredolu said that he has spoken with the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Most Reverend Jude Arogundade, and that the church official was on his way to the scene along with Akeredolu, who had to cut short a work trip to return to the area.
&#8220;This is an unexpected development. I am shocked to say the least. Nevertheless, We shall commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay. We shall never bow to the machinations of heartless elements in our resolves to rid our state of criminals,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;I urge our people to remain calm and vigilant. Do not take laws into your hands. I have spoken to the heads of the security agencies. I have equally been assured that security operatives would be deployed to monitor and restore normalcy to Owo kingdom.&#8221;

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Terrorists Massacre 50+ Christians In ‘Vile And Satanic’ Attack On Nigerian Church

Terrorists

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is facing backlash after taking Nigeria off of a list of countries that endorse or allow religious violence as Christian groups point to the high level of persecution in the African nation. 
“State Department officials gave no reason for the move other than saying Blinken, upon the advice of various department sections, decided Nigeria didn’t meet the legal threshold to be named as ‘country of particular concern’ in an annual religious freedom list released by the secretary of State,” Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/11/23/christian-groups-blinken-nigeria-religious-violence-list-523258">reported</a>. 
The move was made just before Blinken made a diplomatic trip to the country. 
“It’s a victory for the terrorists — it’s a defeat for anyone concerned with human rights and religious freedom,” former Republican Congressman Frank Wolf said. 
Nigeria has been plagued by religious violence this year, with the number of Christians killed in July of this year already matching the total from last year, according to some <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nigerian-pastor-says-government-fully-supports-killings-of-christians-report">reports</a>. Many Christian aid organizations also rank Nigeria as a country with a lot of religious persecution, including Open Doors, which puts the African nation just inside the top 10 of worst persecuting countries in the world. 
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) was “appalled” at the State Department&#8217;s decision, calling the move “unexplainable.”
“[USCIRF] is especially displeased with the removal of Nigeria from its CPC designation, where it was rightfully placed last year, as well as the omission of India, Syria, and Vietnam. We urge the State Department to reconsider its designations based on facts presented in its own reporting,” Chair Nadine Maenza <a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/uscirf-appalled-administrations-removal-nigeria-list-violators">said</a>.
Outgoing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” in December 2020, and a May <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nigerian-pastor-says-government-fully-supports-killings-of-christians-report">report</a> from the State Department seemed to confirm that designation. 
Sam Brownback, who was the special ambassador for religious freedom under the Trump administration, said the decision was the “revenge of the bureaucracy” while noting that religion definitely played a role in the violence in Nigeria.  
One former State Department official told Politico that the move constituted “diplomatic malpractice.”
“You just gave leverage away. It was clearly tied to Blinken’s visit. The Nigerians clearly cared about it. Did we get anything out of it?” the former official asked. 
Some officials pushed back, arguing that Blinken’s visit to Nigeria and its delisting were not related. The removal instead had to do with the timing of the release of the list, according to one official. 
As Politico noted, however, deadlines are not always so strictly followed and Blinken had called out religious persecution in Nigeria earlier this year. 
“In Nigeria, courts continue to convict people of blasphemy, sentencing them to long-term imprisonment or even death,” he said. “Yet the government has still not brought anyone to justice for the military’s massacre of hundreds of Shia Muslims in 2015.”
Some Christians on the ground in Nigeria say that their government doesn&#8217;t care about them. Back in September, after the killing of more than 30 Christians by Islamic Fulani herdsmen, one local pastor said that the government was actually in favor of the persecution. 
“We have never seen an evil government in this country like the one of today. The government is fully in support of the bloodshed in Nigeria. We are being killed just because we are not Muslims,” Rev. Jacob Kwashi said.
He added: “These evil Fulani jihadists are enjoying the backing of the government to go about killing people, destroying their houses and farmlands, yet when we try to defend ourselves, the government will go about arresting our people. What kind of justice is this?”

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‘Victory For The Terrorists’: Blinken Faces Backlash After Taking Nigeria Off Of Religious Violence List

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