In what is believed to be the first of its kind, a new monument honouring the victims of religious persecution in Nigeria has been erected in the nation's Benue State.
The monument was unveiled in Yelwata, which last year was the scene of a massacre of 270 men, women and children. The attack took place on Father’s Day and is believed to have been the work of Islamic militants.
The names of all the victims are engraved upon the monument, which was unveiled by missionaries from the group Equipping the Persecuted.
Judd Saul, the founder of Equipping the Persecuted, said, “Their names are now engraved in stone so they will never be forgotten.
"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.”
The unveiling was attended by representatives of different faith communities as well as survivors of the massacre. The moment was also a chance to distribute aid, as it is estimated that the attack also led to the displacement of around 3,000 people.
Despite being approximately 50 per cent Christian, Nigeria is one of the most dangerous nations in the world in which to be a Christian.
Open Doors ranks the country the 7th worst in the world for the persecution of Christians. More people are killed or kidnapped for their faith in Nigeria every year than in all other countries combined.
Many parts of the country see high amounts of violence from Islamic militants or simply from armed bandits. While Christians tend to bear the brunt of the violence, Muslims have occasionally been victims as well, sometimes because they would not go along with the militants.
Last year the Nigerian president declared a national emergency and pledged to increase security in a bid to bring an end to the violence. The US carried out a number of targeted strikes against militants over Christmas in response to the mistreatment of Christians.
