Islamic extremists in Nigeria’s northern Kano state set fire to a church on 1 April after they could not find a young man who had renounced Islam and decided to return to Christianity, whom they were looking to kill.
Enraged by the Christians’ refusal to react violently to their attack, they proceeded to torch the home of church Pastor Habila Garba, whose daughter died as a result.
Plot to take life
Yahaya Joshua had converted to Islam but later chose to revert back to Christianity. Having heard of the plot to take his life for renouncing Islam, he fled in search of safety. Unable to find him, a mob of Islamic radicals set the church on fire and attacked local Christians with machetes. Several people sustained injuries in the attacks and two people have broken arms.