On January 4, 2022, the Islamic State (ISIS) published photos showing its fighters burning a church and property of a Christian community in Adamawa State, northeastern Nigeria.[1]
In an attack on December 30, 2021, ISIS fighters burned a church and other “possessions of Christian unbelievers,” including houses and a vehicle, according to the news report claiming responsibility for the attack, which did not announce any casualties.[2]
Two photos showed the church’s altar cloth in flames, while others showed Christian homes and vehicles in the community engulfed in flames.
Last December, ISIS claimed responsibility for a similar attack on a Christian community in neighboring Borno state, reportedly killing a Nigerian solider and burning a church and several houses.[3]
Around the same time, the pro-ISIS Al-Murhafat Foundation released a poster celebrating ISIS attacks on Christian homes in Nigeria and Mozambique. The poster referenced the Qur’an, Hadith, and Islamic jurisprudence in an attempt to justify such attacks on Christians.[4]
![A screenshot of a video gameDescription automatically generated with low confidence](https://www.memri.org/sites/default/files/2022/01/church_1.jpeg)
![A picture containing text, nature, fireDescription automatically generated](https://www.memri.org/sites/default/files/2022/01/church_3.jpeg)
![A picture containing textDescription automatically generated](https://www.memri.org/sites/default/files/2022/01/church_2.jpeg)
![A picture containing text, indoor, cookingDescription automatically generated](https://www.memri.org/sites/default/files/2022/01/church_car.jpeg)
![A picture containing text, bookDescription automatically generated](https://www.memri.org/sites/default/files/2022/01/almurhafat%20burning%20houses.jpeg)
[1] Telegram, Khilafah News, January 4, 2021.
[2] Telegram, Khilafah News, December 30, 2021.
[3] Telegram, Khilafah News, December 13, 2021.
[4] Telegram, Al-Murhafat Media Foundation, December 14, 2021.