Two Christian high school students have been killed by Islamist fighters in Nigeria. The girls, Briget Philip and Priscilla David, were murdered in Southern Kaduna State on Friday, January 17 during a raid by Fulani militants on the village of Gora-Gan.
According to International Christian Concern (ICC), three young men were also injured during the attack; 18-year-old Henry Jonathan, 19-year-old Benjamin Peter and 12-year-old Goodluck Andawus.
“After the shooting started, the locals scattered to the surrounding woods to find safety. It is unclear what provoked this attack, as there have been claims that it was in reprisal for other actions,” ICC’s report noted. “It is likely that this attack was conducted to gain supplies or force the locals off of the land to allow for the migration of herders into the area.”
Over recent years, Nigeria has been plagued by an increase in kidnapping and attacks at the hands of Islamic terror groups.
As Faithwire reported yesterday, a pastor who was kidnapped earlier this month, Rev. Lawan Andimi, was executed earlier this week. Pastor Andimi was a senior member of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and had made been seen in an impassioned hostage video in which he vowed to trust in God no matter what happened to him.
“Don’t cry, don’t worry, but thank God for everything,” he said during the address. “God’s will must be respected.”
News of Andimi’s beheading at the hands of Boko Haram fighters was broken by veteran journalist and Islamic terror expert, Ahmad Salkida.
“To break some news items can traumatize. I’m battling with one of such. Reverend Andimi, abducted by #BokoHaram was executed yesterday,” Salkida wrote Tuesday, noting that the pastor had been beheaded. “Rev. Andimi was a church leader, a father to his children and the community he served. My condolences go to his family.”