[ADDRESS]

The Honorable [REPRESENTATIVE’S FIRST NAME, LAST NAME]

 

U.S. House of Representatives

 

Washington, DC 20515

 

Dear Representative [LAST NAME]:

APPIONT A SPECIAL ENVOY FOR NIGERIA

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My name is [ YOUR NAME …………………… ] I am a US citizen of Nigerian decent.

 

I reside at [ YOUR ADDRESS  …… …………….. ] within your constituent.

 

I am asking that you help take action in the House to help intervene in the mass slaughter and heinous violation of crime against humanity committed by state and non- state actors against Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria. Many of my own blood relations have fallen victims and met their untimely deaths in the hands of these insurgency groups.

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Nigeria is in an era of mass slaughter, mass funerals, gruesome genocide, and unprecedented ethnic cleansing. It is plunged into the den of devouring jaws of various terrorist groups.1 New United Nations Development Program (UNDP) data on the war in Nigeria conflict showed about 350,000 were killed by the Islamist insurgencies as of the end of 2020. This number was 10 times higher than previous estimates since the conflict started 12 years ago. 2 These statistics did not even capture 30% of those murdered in Nigeria by the Fulani Jihadists terrorists.2.

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The attackers are never captured, they are not prosecuted, the security services respond very slowly, a full day can go on with attacks happening and no security shows up and frequently the government officials will provide cover." 3 The failure to prosecute past perpetrators of violence, or heed early warnings of impending attacks by the Nigerian security officials has facilitated the rise of armed militia, which often form along ethno-religious lines to protect community interests,” Nigeria has failed to protect Christian farmers from violence.4

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The Kukah Center documented the following: Father Stephen Ojapah and Father Oliver Okpara were abducted by suspected armed Fulani on May 25, from the rectory of St Patrick’s Church in Katsina. On May 11, Father Joseph Bako died in captivity after being kidnapped from Saint John’s Church in Kaduna on March 8. On March 27, Father Leo Raphael Ozigi of St. Mary’s Church was abducted after leaving Mass. On March 24, in Zaria, while traveling to the diocesan secretariat, Father Felix Zakari Fidson was abducted for 37 days. On February 6, Father Joseph Danjuma Shekari of St. Monica’s Church in Kaduna was kidnapped from his parish residence for four days.5.

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I am asking that you support any resolution in the House that will hold the Nigerian government accountable for the crimes against humanity unleashed upon the thousands of innocent and defenseless Nigerians and urge President Joe Biden and the State Department to appoint a Special Envoy with the prerequisite authority on a fact-finding mission and to deal with the security threats, and mass slaughter and hold their perpetrators accountable.

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I look forward to hearing from you about these concerns.

 

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

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1. See Editorial: Dipping the Koran into the sea - Politics – Nairaland: https://www.nairaland.com/2034125/editorial-dipping-koran-into-sea#28689927.

2.Remarks by President Biden Before Cabinet Meeting to Mark .... https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/07/20/remarks-by-president-biden-before-cabinet-meeting-to-mark-six-months-in-office/

3. Dede Laugesen with Save the Persecuted Christian. Human Rights Advocates Sound Alarm on 'Christian Genocide' Unfolding in Africa. https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2020/december/human-rights-advocates-sound-alarm-on-christian-genocide-unfolding-in-africa

4. Nigeria failing to protect Christian farmers from violence .... https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/africa/nigeria-failing-to-protect-christian-farmers-from-violence-british-mps-say-1.1034078 https://www.thenational.ae/world/africa/nigeria-failing-to-protect-christian-farmers-from-violence-british-mps-say-1.1034078.

5. Nigeria’s Religious-Cleansing Crisis Is Not Due to Climate Change-https://www.hudson.org/research/17908-nigeria-s-religious-cleansing-crisis-is-not-due-to-climate-change