(Worthy News) – A respected elder of the Celestial Church of Christ, Eagle Parish, in Ogun state, Nigeria, was shot dead when three gunmen invaded the Sunday service on January 19, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
Aged 54, Yomi Adetula was known by his church community as a man devoted to prayer and service. “Adetula was a man of God who dedicated himself to serving the community,” Adewale Amos, a local community leader, told ICC. “We face challenges from groups that oppose spiritual efforts, and we must advocate for greater awareness and collective action to protect the rights of Christians to worship freely.”
Ogun State Police are investigating Adetula’s murder and seeking to apprehend the killers, ICC reports. While tens of thousands of Christians have been murdered by Islamic terrorists, the gunmen who killed Adetula reportdly belong to a local cult that has been targeting believers in Christ, ICC said.
Home to 106, 608, 000 Christians (46% of the population), Nigeria nevertheless ranks seven on the Open Doors World Watch List 2025 of the top 50 countries that are most dangerous for Christians.
“Jihadist violence continues to escalate in Nigeria, and Christians are particularly at risk from targeted attacks by Islamist militants, including Fulani fighters, Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province),” Open Doors reports in a website statement. “These increased under the rule of former president Muhammadu Buhari, putting Nigeria at the epicentre of targeted violence against the church. The government’s failure to protect Christians and punish perpetrators has only strengthened the militants’ influence.”
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest Stories from Worthy News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ignited a firestorm of criticism during Israel’s Independence Day celebrations after declaring that winning the war against Hamas is a “superior objective” to retrieving the remaining hostages held in Gaza.
The U.S. economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, marking its first decline in three years, according to preliminary data released Wednesday by the Commerce Department.
Ukraine’s president has urged the world to pressure Russia to stop continuing attacks on his war-torn nation after authorities said at least two people were killed and 15 injured in a Russian drone strike on the Black Sea port city of Odesa.
The United States imposed a sweeping set of sanctions Wednesday targeting an international network of companies and vessels accused of facilitating the illicit trade of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products. The move, announced just days ahead of renewed U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that it has removed more than 65,000 illegal immigrants from the United States during the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term in office. The agency reported a total of 66,463 arrests, with 65,682 individuals removed from the country between January 20 and April 29.