Converts from Islam to Christianity face rejection and extreme hostility.
bottom“We don’t know what peace is any more. We only know persecution.”
– Elisabeth
The situation for Christians worsened after the July 2023 coup, when General Abdourahamane Tiani, head of the presidential guard unit, declared himself Niger’s new leader. There were fears this would open the country to further attacks from Islamist extremists. The impact of this continued throughout 2024.
The jihadist group al-Sunnah wa Jama’ah (ASWJ) has made life increasingly difficult for Christians in Niger. In areas under militant control, church services and other events are carried out under the shadow of potential violence or physical attack. The presence of radical Islamist groups has led to frequent attacks and kidnappings, significantly limiting the freedom and safety of Christians. It’s also led to a rise in attacks on Christian property, such as churches, schools, and health-care centres.
Those who leave Islam to follow Jesus face pressure from their families to renounce their new faith. The legal process for registering a church is arduous and protracted, and legal roadblocks have been used to prevent Christians from gathering. This has significantly impacted their sense of community. Believers can also face discrimination in the public sector; they seldom secure jobs within local government services, and promotions are frequently denied.
Christians experience the most persecution in areas outside the main cities. Taking advantage of the pandemic, Islamist militants have been able to expand their areas of influence, putting more Christians under pressure.
– Ask God to bring order to chaos, preventing extremists from taking power or territory.
– Ask God to protect Christians from Islamist attacks.
– Pray especially for young converts from Islam who face rejection and oppression from their families and communities.
Open Doors works through partners in Niger to strengthen persecuted Christians through economic empowerment programs, leadership and discipleship training, persecution survival training, and pastoral care for new believers.
