Lianna Peters.
A memorial commemorating the lives lost in Nigeria last year due to a jihadist terrorist group, which remains one of the deadliest incidents of anti-Christian violence in the region and displacing 3,000 people.
The new monument had the 270 victims’ names engraved, located in Nigeria’s Benue State, unveiled in Yalwata, where men, women and children were killed on Father’s Day last year.
The memorial was unveiled by missionaries from Equipping the Persecuted, an organization that supports persecuted Christian communities around the world.
“Their names are now engraved in stone so they will never be forgotten,” said Judd Saul, founder of Equipping the Persecuted, told Christian Today. “This monument stands as a testament to their lives, their faith, and our commitment to ensure the world remembers what happened. The persecution of our brothers and sisters in Christ must stop.”
At the ceremony, everyone came together, including survivors, residents and different faith communities.
Nigeria remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians. While Christians make up roughly half of the country’s population, advocacy group Open Doors ranks Nigeria among the worst nations globally for Christian persecution.
Religious violence and insecurity continue to affect several regions of the country, with attacks carried out by extremist groups and armed bandits. Christians face some of the worst violence,e but other religious groups, including musilms face violence if they do not go along with the terrorist group.
Last year, the country’s president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declared a national emergency aimed at addressing ongoing violence and restoring stability to affected communities.
The new monument serves as both a memorial to those who lost their lives and a symbol of resilience for a community determined not to forget.
