-Culture Under Fire- Jihad against Christians in Nigeria. Media speak of 'climate change'

The Nigerian state of Plateau has once again become the scene of brutal attacks on Christians during the Christmas season. These were clearly planned. While preparing for Christmas ceremonies in churches, hundreds of Muslim militants murdered 198 Christians and wounded more than 300, mostly women, children and the elderly who could not escape.

Islam finds Christmas 'blasphemous'

These attacks were most likely set up by the Islamic terror organization Boko Haram. Islam regards Christmas, the celebration of the Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ, as blasphemous. The organization has a tradition of Christian persecution. For example, Boko Haram has repeatedly kidnapped girls and women to sexually abuse them. In addition, more than 200 homes of Christians were destroyed.

'Climate change' as cause of jihad

As is often the case the media in the Netherlands, even Christian ones like the Nederlands Dagblad and the Reformatorisch Dagblad barely pay attention, or minimize the jihad nature of Christian persecution. Wrongly so, says Father Andrew Dewan on the Church in Need website. "The fact that the attack took place on Christmas, and the deliberate attacking of Christians in a mixed community, where Muslims are not attacked, clearly bears the hallmarks of a religious conflict. I know not everyone wants to admit that." Even "climate change" is invoked as a reason, to keep the true culprits out of the wind.

"Why don't you call your God?

Dutch theologian Sonja Dahlmans who has been following the conflict closely, quotes a Christian journalist on the ground on the Wrong Speak Publishing website who reiterates that climate change has nothing to do with it. "They cite climate change to mislead the international community and some gullible Nigerians, but here in Nigeria we have loved ones who have been killed. We have witnessed the attacks, we know that the attackers just come and kill people. Sometimes when they are killing, they ask them, "Why don't you call your God to come and help you?

'Long tradition of jihad'

The fight by Islamist groups appears to be a planned campaign of destruction against Christianity as such, which amounts to genocide. Jihadists want to exterminate Christians in order to establish an Islamic legal system in Nigeria based on Sharia law. This has already happened to some extent in the country's northern provinces. The majority of the attackers belonged to the Fulani tribe. They are nomadic pastoralists and have, as one Western observer on the ground put it, "a long tradition of jihad."

Fulani incited by Boko Haram

Their livelihood of the Fulani is becoming increasingly difficult as grazing land in northern Nigeria yields less fodder each year. In the south, inhabited by Christians, there is plenty of grazing land for their livestock, but this land belongs to Christian farmers who farm it themselves. However, the conquest of this area would allow Muslims to dominate the entire country. The economic struggle for new grazing land is being seized upon by Islamic groups - including Boko Haram - to involve the Fulani in their struggle.

Blasphemy law against Christians

Nigeria is formally a democratic state, but is in fact theocratically ruled according to the will of Islamic militant groups and the political-Islamic administrative elite. Massacres of Christians are often not punished. Nigeria's northern provinces have now passed the blasphemy law, which is contrary to federal law but allows Christians to be equally persecuted if they allegedly violate sharia 's.

'Security forces complicit'

Confirming the lack of action against Islamic crimes against Christians, Father Andrew Dewan said, "I have read reports suggesting that the military and security reports are complicit in this." According to Father, the attacks hung in the air and security forces did not bother to check the rumors. "As usual, nothing was done before the tragedy occurred," he said. According to Father, the authorities should not be surprised if Christians themselves start taking measures against the Islamic terrorists.