Christians displaced by Boko Haram are being denied vital aid, says watchdog group

Christians who were terrorized by Boko Haram are being denied food and vital assistance in displacement camps being run by Muslim organizations in Nigeria, according to a persecution watchdog group.

A number of displacement camps have been set up throughout the country to aid the victims of the terror group, but some of the camps are discriminating against Christians.

"The governor did his best when the Christians had to flee in 2014 and 2015," said Bishop William Naga, who was forced to flee his home in Gwoza, Nigeria.

"But when the care of the camps was handed over to other organisations, the discrimination started. They will give food to the refugees, but if you are a Christian they will not give you food. They will openly tell you that the relief is not for Christians," he added.

Emily Fuentes, the communications director for Open Doors U.S.A., told The Christian Post that while Christians in northeast Nigeria are being explicitly targeted by Boko Haram, Muslims are also being attacked. She said that Muslim organizations that are running the displacement camps feel inclined to give "preferential treatment" to Muslims.

"Christians often get pushed to the back of the line," she said. "Because Muslims are the majority there, even non-extremist Muslims, some of their neighbors are typically going to get preferential treatment by those providing food and assistance because of their Muslim faith," she added.

Fuentes said that discrimination against Christians might not be occurring in all the camps, but she noted that her organization has heard of many cases.

Some Christians have set up their own informal camps due to the discrimination they experienced at the formal camps. John Gwamma, the chairman at an informal Christian camp, said that Christians had not been given food and were not allowed to go to church at the formal camps.

Some of the displaced people have resorted to eating leaves in order to survive. But Open Doors was able to work through local churches to provide vital aid to the families inside the informal camps.

Fuentes said that although the informal camps were intended at serving displaced Christians, people of all faiths are welcome. She noted that Open Doors is also helping widows of Boko Haram victims receive job-skills training, and the organization has provided some of the widows with micro-loans to help them start their own businesses.

Nigeria has been ranked on the Open Doors World Watch List as the 12th most difficult country to live as a Christian. According to the persecution watchdog group, as many as five churches are attacked on average every Sunday in northern Nigeria.