Boko Haram kill Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria

Boko Haram insurgents have killed Lawan Andimi, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Michika local government area of Adamawa state. 

On Christmas eve, a faction of Boko Haram affiliated to the Islamic State, killed 11 Christian captives in Borno.

The Islamic State sub-group called Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) said the “beheading” of the hostages was part of its campaign to “avenge” the killing of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a US military raid in Syria last October.

Ahmad Salkida, a Journalist with years of experience reporting the activities of the insurgents tweeted about the news a while ago.

To break some news items can traumatize. I'm battling with one of such. Reverend Andimi, abducted by #BokoHaram was executed yesterday. Rev. Andimi was a church leader, a father to his children and the community he served. My condolences go to his family. pic.twitter.com/1G9n3RLQjk

— Ahmad Salkida (@A_Salkida) January 21, 2020

Andimi was abducted early January when the insurgents attacked his village. Days after his abduction, the clergyman, in a video clip, asked Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of Adamawa, to rescue him and he also pleaded with the National leadership of the Christian association of Nigerian

This is Rev Lawan Andimi, a Chiba k Man & Reverend with Church of the brethren Mission (EYN) in Nigeria. The CAN leader in Michika, Adamawa state. Was whisked away in Michika in an attack that seems well orchestrated. And this is their message.#BokoHaram#ChristiansPersecution pic.twitter.com/G6Rc2IKUp3

— Adetutu Balogun (Ezi Ada 1 of Diaspora) (@Tutsy22) January 6, 2020

In this video, he said, “I have never been discouraged, because all conditions that one finds himself …is in the hand of God. God who made them to take care of me. So, the summary of my speech; I am appealing to my colleagues, reverends, particularly my president, Reverend Joel Billy who is a strong man, a man of compassion and man of love. He can do all his best to speak to our governor, Umaru Jibrilla (Fintiri) and other necessary agents for my release here,”.

Chief of army staff, Tukur Buratai yesterday described the recent activity of Boko Haram insurgents as ”the kicks of a dying horse gasping for the last breath”. 

Boko Haram has stepped up attacks on military formations and civilian population in the north-east.He also asked local and foreign bodies to be mindful of the comments they make on Nigeria’s security.

The US State Department on Dec. 18 added Cuba, Nicaragua, Nigeria, and Sudan on a Special Watch List (SWL) of governments that “have engaged on or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom.” The designation was a triumph of American Christian right groups that have been lobbying the Trump’s administration to appease its evangelical base by taking up the fight of Christians across the globe.

In his reaction to the US designation of Nigeria amongst countries on SWL, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Samson Ayokunle warned “discrimination against Christians can result in another civil war which Nigeria may not survive.” Through a spokesman CAN’s president pointed to killings of Christians in states in the middle-belt region as atrocities that could not have gone unnoticed by the United States. The Christian group alleges that while Muslims have also been killed, the primary targets were Christians.

After initially receiving plaudits for pushing back against the peak of Boko Haram’s rise in Nigeria’s northeast, Buhari’s government, which came to office in 2015, has been more recently criticized over its weak handling of Islamic insurgency, broader conflict and rising insecurity across the country.