Fears for Christians in Nigeria after Boko Haram releases shocking execution video

Open Doors has expressed concern about Nigerian Christians living susceptible to deadly attacks by Islamist extremists after a graphic video was released showing the brutal execution of 4 “infidels”.

The perpetrators behind the execution are believed to belong to Boko Haram, an Islamist terrorist jihadist organisation that has slaughtered hundreds of individuals across Nigeria and neighbouring countries. 

The shocking video shows an armed terrorist wearing fatigues and speaking in Hausa as he tells onlookers that considered one of the people being executed is his younger sister. 

“She’s a part of the infidels we are going to annihilate today,” he said, before warning that anyone “who goes against our religion” will share the identical fate, including women and youngsters. 

“Wherever there may be an infidel, we are going to go and find them out by ourselves and execute them,” he said. 

Four people within the clip were then executed. Open Doors UK and Ireland said that while it was unclear whether the victims were Christians, Nigerian Christians are “especially vulnerable” to attacks by extremists because they’re viewed as infidels. 

John Samuel, Open Doors’ legal expert for sub-Saharan Africa whose name has been modified for security reasons, said: “Boko Haram extremists have clearly said time and time again that they’re waging a jihad against people they call ‘infidels’ – that’s anyone who doesn’t enroll to their extreme interpretation of Islam.

“Some of the people at the highest of this list, then, are Christians who’re clear targets due to their faith.”

Despite the continued threat, a controversial resettlement programme by the Nigerian authorities has led to the closure of displacement camps that were sheltering individuals who fled their homes within the north-east resulting from violence. These people at the moment are being pushed back home where they risk being attacked again, Samuel said. 

“The authorities have offered incentives to returnees, akin to food parcels or one-off payments,” he said.

“Displaced Christians are very reluctant to return due to ongoing insecurity and unexploded mines planted of their villages. Some Christians who did return were attacked by militants and fled again.”

Open Doors researchers visited northern Nigeria earlier this yr and located that much of the displacement is being driven by violent attacks on Christian communities and the failure of the authorities to stop them. 

Nigeria is ranked sixth on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024, an index of the highest 50 countries where Christians face probably the most extreme persecution for his or her faith.