A Nigerian pastor, whose church was torched by rioters, has described how a Muslim boy saved him from an angry mob. Pastor Augustine Aifuobhokhan’s family were threatened with murder and the pastor believes the Muslim militants have declared a religious war on Christians in the region. Yet he has declared that he forgives them.

|TOP|The church, Amazing Grace Chapel in Maiduguri, Borno State, was one of 56 churches destroyed by militants during the latest wave of violent attacks against Christians.

In the attacks 50 Christians were killed, with 18 burnt to death, during violent protests against the Mohammed cartoons in Denmark, report Release International (RI).

RI report that: “A mob piled chairs to the ceiling of Amazing Grace chapel then poured in petrol and set the altar cloth alight. Picking his way through the rubble Pastor Augustine described the events of that day, February 18 2006.”

Pastor Aifuobhokhan said, “Churches were burnt and pastors and Christian houses were targets. In some houses the Muslims were removed and Christians beaten and burnt.

“We have no doubt that this is completely a war on Christians,” he said.

A team from Release International went to Maiduguri and uncovered clear evidence that the attacks against Christians were highly organised, with militants despatched to locations around the town and instructed over mobile phones which churches to destroy and whose homes to target.

Pastor Aifuobhokhan’s house was besieged by hundreds who eventually broke into the premises determined to kill the whole family. He testifies that it was only the power of prayer that saved him.

|QUOTE|He described the ordeal: “They met me with daggers drawn and other dangerous weapons. I was asking them, ‘Why will you kill me? We have lived here together for over 18 years.’ And their leader walked up to me with his dagger hand up to strike. But as they got in front of me Almighty God intervened and he brought the hand of the leader down.”

Instead of murdering the pastor, the mob simply demanded money and left quickly. However, later in the day another group turned up, and then two more. Each time they came Pastor Aifuobhokhan confronted them and they left.

However, during the fourth attack a young man ran between the mob and the pastor and begged for his life.

He shouted at the mob, “If you want to kill them, you must kill me first.”

Pastor Ruth Aifuobhokhan describes the event: “This young boy stood between my husband and the crowd. He was begging and pleading that he should not be killed, that they should please spare his life, that he was his friend.”

Shocking to everyone there at the time, the young boy was a Muslim.

|AD|The attacks were deeply traumatic to the pastor’s four children, who are all aged between ten and 16.

“They wept and wept and wept until they could no longer weep,” said Pastor Aifuobhokhan. “One of them was vomiting, and our last daughter was in and out of the hospital for two weeks.”

Release International's Chief Executive Andy Dipper said, “It’s very clear that there are people in Nigeria today who want to destroy Christians and eliminate Christianity from that land. How sad that is, because Christians only want to live side by side with people of other faiths and different beliefs.”

Pastor Aifuobhokhan has admitted that he found it difficult to forgive those who destroyed his church and threatened to kill his family.

“At first I was bitter and angry, because over 18 years, this was the crown of my work. but after a while I prayed that God will forgive them.

“They may have destroyed the building, but we are the church and we cannot be destroyed. We pray for those who persecute us,” he said.

Speaking of the situation he and his concregation are now in, he told, “We now meet under the tree with the dust and the sun, and of course the rains will soon set in. What are we going to do? What are we going to do? That's our biggest dilemma now. What are we going to do?”