By BosNewsLife Africa Service
ABUJA, NIGERIA (BosNewsLife)– A Christian boy in northeastern Nigeria was still recovering of serious injuries Thursday, December 11, after Islamic militants attacked him for holding onto his Children’s Bible, well-informed sources said.
After Christian worshippers were attacked Sunday, November 22 in Attagara village, the three-year-old boy reportedly ran home when suspected Boko Haram fighters grabbed him and forcibly sat him down.
The fighters were furious that the boy, who was only identified as “Joel” amid security concerns, refused to hand over his Bible, said aid group Voice of the Christian Martyrs Nigeria (VCM), which supports local Christians.
An angry Muslim insurgent snatched the Bible by force and threw it into a nearby burning fire, VCM and a witness said. Joel reportedly ran toward the fire to rescue his beloved Bible. While struggling with a stick to remove his Bible from the fire, Joel was hit on the head with the butt of an AK-47 rifle and pushed into the fire, according to rights investigators.
“Not satisfied, the insurgent proceeded to step on the young child’s head, pressing it into the burning flames, all the while railing curses and abuses on the little boy, calling him a “stubborn infidel”, Christians said.
“HEARTLESS BOKO HARAM”
The “heartless Boko Haram member” then “callously walked away, leaving the wounded child at the scene,” activists said.
Voice Of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC), a partner of VCM, said that while Christians “can be thankful that this young child’s life was spared, let us cry out to God on behalf of Joel and others like him who have so unjustly suffered at the hands of Boko Haram…”
It urged prayers “asking the Lord to bring justice in such an unjust world.” and to “ask Him to protect and preserve His people…including vulnerable children.”
Christians asked preayers for Joel’s healing and the other “victimized members of his Christian community” but also to stay “strong” in “faith, great endurance, and an unquenchabledesire to love and serve Him despite the attack.””
Boko Haram has been fighting to establish a strict Islamic state, often targeting Christians, including children. Hundreds of Christian schoolgirls remain missing.
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