YLI’s ministry in Nigeria, on the surface, resembles YLI in Ghana: young Christian adults making disciples and lovingly pouring their lives into younger leaders. Nigeria, as a country, however, is enduring incredible violence, especially toward Christians. In recent years, more Christians have died as a result of religious violence in Nigeria than in any other country. According to Nigeria-based human rights watch group, Intersociety, more than 7000 Christians were killed within the first 220 days of 2025. Although violence is common in Plateau State, where the majority of our leaders live, it has mostly not yet reached their communities. An exception is the town of Miango, a focus area of YLI last year. Muslim attackers have slaughtered over 100 Christians in and around Miango in 2025.
In the words of our lead Coach, Peter Iliya:
“What we are facing as a country is multifaceted. There is terrorism fueled by an Islamic Jihadist ideology. With Christians as the primary target, Muslims who do not subscribe to their fanaticism are also slaughtered by the terrorists. For the terrorist acts we are facing in Nigeria, Islam feeds that ideology. Whether the terrorists are practicing the true version of Islam or not is a topic for another day.
In the Northwest, there is a thriving banditry and kidnapping business facilitated by armed Fulani herdsmen and sometimes aided by non-Muslims who act as informants and enablers of these acts. Both Christian and non-Christian communities have been severely affected.With land being at the center of the conflict, the culprits seek to annihilate natives or displace them and take over their lands. Again, this is a radical Islamic expansionist move.The claims of a Christian genocide is a reality. It may not paint the complete picture, but it is a true fact. The real challenge before them (the government) now should be the protection of the lives of those butchered on a daily basis and not a loud defense of the sovereignty of our nation.”
Please join us in praying for peace as we also lift up Peter and the team in Nigeria.
youngleadersinternational.org 