Boko Haram beheads Christian in shocking video of massacre
Extremists in Nigeria’s Borno State, believed to be from Boko Haram, have beheaded four abducted individuals, including at least one Christian, in a graphic video released by the terrorist group, according to a report.
The video features an armed militant dressed in fatigues and speaking Hausa, openly declaring his intent to eliminate “infidels,” Open Doors UK reported.
The man identifies one of the victims as his younger sister, stating, “She’s part of the infidels we will annihilate today.” He adds that he would execute even his own mother or child — anyone “who goes against our religion.”
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Before carrying out the executions, the militant proclaimed, “Wherever there is an infidel, we will go and find them out by ourselves and execute them.”
“Boko Haram extremists have clearly said time and time again that they are waging a jihad against people they call ‘infidels’ — that is anyone who does not sign up to their extreme interpretation of Islam,” said Open Doors’ legal expert for sub-Saharan Africa, John Samuel, not his real name. “Some of the people at the top of this list, then, are Christians who are clear targets because of their faith.”
The faiths of the other three victims have not been confirmed, but Christians in the region are particularly vulnerable, Open Doors UK said, noting that followers of Jesus are prioritized as targets under the extremists’ definition of “infidel.”
The United Nations reports that around 35,000 civilians have been killed and over 2 million displaced in northeast Nigeria due to ongoing violence perpetrated by groups like Boko Haram.
However, the Borno State government has been pushing for internally displaced persons to return to their homes, Samuel said, adding that authorities have offered incentives such as food parcels or one-off payments to encourage resettlement.
“Displaced Christians are very reluctant to return because of ongoing insecurity and unexploded mines planted in their villages,” Samuel explained. “Some Christians who did return were attacked by militants and fled again.”
The fear of renewed attacks and the presence of unexploded ordnance make the prospect of returning home perilous for many.
Boko Haram, officially known as “Jama‘atu Ahl as-Sunnah li-Da‘awati wal-Jihad,” seeks to overthrow the Nigerian government and establish a regime based on Islamic law, according to the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center. The group’s name translates to “Western education is forbidden.”
Since assuming leadership in 2010, Abubakar Shekau has intensified the group’s operations. Under his command, Boko Haram has expanded its tactics to include improvised explosive devices, vehicle-borne IEDs and suicide bombings — including the use of female attackers — against a wide range of targets.
The U.S. State Department designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in November 2013.
Boko Haram’s violence escalated in 2014, with near-daily attacks against Christians, security forces, the media, schools, politicians and Muslims perceived as collaborators. The notorious kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State in April 2014 drew international condemnation.
In March 2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, publicly adopting the name “ISIL-West Africa Province.”
Nigeria ranks sixth on the Open Doors’ World Watch List, which identifies countries where Christians face the most severe persecution for their faith.
