NIGERIA: Pastor Among Dozens Killed in Plateau State

Source: VOMC
Sources: International Christian Concern, Morning Star News

Photo: Flickr / UN Development Programme (CC)

A pastor was killed, and his son has been wounded, while travelling to a church in Nigeria's Plateau State on Sunday, September 20th. This attack was one of many violent incidents throughout the state that have claimed dozens of lives in recent weeks.

According to available reports, Pastor Samuel Nandi and his son were ambushed while they were on their way to a church service in the town of Maraban Kantoma, which is located in the Barkin Ladi area. Along with this unprovoked attack, numerous other deadly incidents were reported throughout Plateau State, where the violence perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen appears to have intensified during the month of September.

In response to the increased unrest, the Plateau State government imposed a curfew on September 21st. The curfew, which runs from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., will remain in effect until further notice. Nigerian authorities hope the measure will enable security forces to restore stability and provide increased protection for residents, particularly within the three regions of the state most affected by the violence.

While numerous factors contribute to the ongoing insecurity in Nigeria – resulting in thousands of fatalities over the years – hostility towards Christianity remains a significant element of the atrocities carried out by Fulani herdsmen and others who are affiliated with militant Islamist groups.
To review previously published Persecution & Prayer Alert reports addressing the persecution of Christians in this West African nation, go to our country profile.

• Please prayerfully uphold Pastor Samuel's surviving family as they grieve their sudden loss, asking the Lord to provide them greatly needed comfort, strength and peace throughout this difficult time.

• Also pray for the healing of the slain pastor's injured son, who is not only recovering from the tragic loss of his father, but also from the resulting physical wounds and emotional trauma of the targeted attack.

• Ask the Lord to equip Nigeria's authorities and security forces with wisdom and perseverance as they work to restore peace and stability in the area.

• May those responsible for perpetrating such horrific attacks against innocent fellow Nigerians be convicted of their wrongdoings and brought to justice, in hopes that they will ultimately surrender their hearts to Christ and turn from their wicked ways.

• Continue to pray for Christians throughout Nigeria who live under the shadow of violence and uncertainty, asking that they be strengthened in their faith, encouraged by God's presence, and filled with hope as they look to Him each day.

RUSSIA: Sentencing of Elderly Korean Missionary

Source: VOMC
Sources: Voice of the Martyrs Korea, Mission Network News

Ms. Park Tae-Yeon Photo: VOM Korea

In January, Ms. Park Tae-Yeon was planning to return to her home country of South Korea after compassionately ministering to children for many years in eastern Russia as a missionary. However, one week before her scheduled departure, Ms. Park was detained by Russian authorities and charged with immigration-related offences.
(See more information on her arrest.)

On October 8th, the 70-year-old believer was sentenced to a total of five years and eight months in a general-regime correctional colony. (A Russian co-defendant, Zinaida Ustinova, received a six-year suspended sentence with five years' probation.) The court also ruled that the number of months Ms. Park had already spent at a detention centre for foreign nationals would not be credited towards her sentence. When delivering the court's verdict, an appointed judicial representative only cited the formal charges; not the reasoning behind the sentencing. Hopefully, the official written judgement, which was expected to arrive within days of the hearing, will provide a proper explanation.

The court's harsh sentencing has been described as "extraordinary" for an immigration violation. During an interview with Mission Network News, Dr. Eric Foley of VOM Korea stated, "If there was an immigration violation…normally the person would simply be kicked out of the country, especially if they had a plane ticket in their hand and were 70 years old." Considering that Ms. Park was questioned during the trial about her faith, as well as the ministry organization that she had been serving, Dr. Foley suspects that other factors may have contributed to the prosecution.

Although an appeal to a higher court has been planned, the detained believer will remain in custody pending the outcome. If the initial sentence is upheld, Ms. Park would likely be transferred to a women's correctional colony in Zaozernoye, a village near the city of Khabarovsk, where the missionary had been working with Child Evangelism Fellowship. Incidentally, this organization was added to the Russian government's list of "undesirable" organizations this past July.

• Pray that the planned appeal will be successful, allowing for Ms. Park's due release from imprisonment and safe return to her home country as originally intended.

• While this believer awaits a hopeful favourable outcome to the future appeal hearing, may she remain deeply aware of the Lord's comforting presence – strengthening, encouraging and sustaining her daily with His perfect peace which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

• Despite the Russian government's efforts to intensify restrictions against religious organizations, pray that those serving in Christian ministries will faithfully proclaim the "Good News of the Gospel" with courage, wisdom and perseverance.

OCCUPIED UKRAINE: Appeal Denied for Pastor Facing Deportation

Source: VOMC
Source: Forum18

Pastor Vladimir Rytikov Photo: Council of Churches Baptist via Forum 18

Pastor Vladimir Rytikov was born and raised in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. Ordained during 1995, he has faithfully served in ministry within this area for more than 30 years. Despite this, the pastor now faces deportation to an unknown location following Russia's occupation and subsequent annexation of the region. Apparently, Russian officials refuse to recognize Pastor Vladimir as a citizen due to his ministry involvement with an unregistered church.

Earlier this year, authorities ordered his deportation, prompting him to file an appeal. (See more details.) Officials contend that the church leader is a foreign citizen who "advocates for the violent change of the foundations of the constitutional order of the Russian Federation; or by other actions, creates a threat to the security of the Russian Federation or citizens of the Russian Federation."

On October 6th, the Russian-controlled Luhansk Supreme Court rejected Pastor Vladimir's appeal. Officials have also seized official documents pertaining to the ownership of his house and land, refusing to return them despite the ruling that his wife, Lyudmila, is permitted to remain within the region. In addition, the elderly couple, who are both caring for a son who has lived with a disability since 2015, were denied their government pensions. Compounding the family's multiple difficulties, Lyudmila is experiencing health complications.

Pastor Vladimir intends to continue appealing the case – even presenting it before Russia's Supreme Court if necessary. Meanwhile, his lawyer plans to request a suspension of any deportation order while the appeal process remains ongoing.

• Pray that Pastor Vladimir's appeal will be rightfully honoured, allowing him to stay in the country where he has lived, served and faithfully ministered for decades.

• During this season of uncertainty, may the Lord strengthen and encourage this church leader and his family, graciously providing for each of their physical, emotional, spiritual and practical needs.

• Intercede on behalf of other believers residing in occupied regions of Ukraine who are facing increased pressures and restrictions, asking that they too would remain steadfast in their faith and further sustained by God's wisdom, grace and hope.

• May the Lord work powerfully in the hearts of all those involved, opening the way for a just and peaceful resolution to the ongoing military conflict.

SYRIA: Community Tensions Heightened by Threats

Source: VOMC
Sources: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Syriac Press

A church in Syria. Photo: Flickr / Hovic (CC)

Christians in the city of Al-Qusayr have expressed concerns over threats and other forms of intimidation, calling on the authorities to take necessary measures to protect residents and their properties. The situation follows the arrest of a male instigator identified as Abdo Idris, who had posted photographs of a Christian man online and encouraged other Muslims to attack the believer and boycott his business. Abdo accused the young Christian man of sympathizing with militia groups that are loyal to the former Assad regime.

Following Abdo's arrest, members of the Muslim community took to the streets, threatening Christians and forcing them to close their businesses until Abdo is released from custody. In response, followers of Jesus in the affected community issued a statement urging authorities not to treat such situations as "mere passing disputes or individual incidents," further emphasizing that "Christians are an integral part of Syria's history, present and future."

Reflecting on the incident, VOMC CEO Floyd Brobbel states: "The situation in Al-Qusayr reflects broader challenges facing Christians across the region. Ongoing insecurity and pressure continue to drive Christian families to leave, eroding the church's historic presence and witness. This underscores the importance of supporting local believers and strengthening the church for long-term ministry."
To learn more about the persecution of Christians in this Middle Eastern nation, visit our country profile.

• Prayerfully uphold the Christian residents of Al-Qusayr who have been subjected to threats and other forms of intimidation, asking the Lord to encourage their hearts, strengthen their faith, and reassure them of His abiding presence and providential care.

• In general, pray that peace, mutual respect and understanding will prevail among the members of Syria's various religious communities, and that governing authorities would act with wisdom and impartiality as they work to protect all citizens.

• Even though the ongoing pressure has prompted many believers to leave the region, pray that those who remain will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue serving as faithful witnesses of Christ – sharing the hope of the Gospel with courage, grace and love.

INDIA: Maharashtra's Conversion Law Now Challenged in Court

Source: VOMC
Sources: Mission Network News, International Christian Concern, Times of India, BBC

The Bombay High Court building. Photo: Wikipedia / A.Savin (FAL)

Maharashtra has become the latest state in India to enact legislation restricting religious conversions. The law, which came into effect on August 28th, imposes particularly stringent conditions. Any conversions suspected to have been achieved through either coercion, misrepresentation, allurement or undue influence can result in up to seven years' imprisonment. Even harsher penalties apply in cases involving the conversion of women, minors, persons with disabilities, or members of tribal communities.

In states with comparable legislation, allegations of coercion have frequently been used as a pretext to target Christian individuals and congregations. The law's broad definition of "allurement" could be used to describe even basic acts of hospitality, such as serving coffee before a church service. In response, many churches have begun asking worshippers to sign weekly declarations affirming that they are attending the services of their own free will.

Whether such declarations will have legal standing in the event of an accusation remains untested. Even so, Todd Neddleton of VOM USA has expressed concern that maintaining these records could potentially create additional risks for identified church worshippers should the lists fall into the hands of militants affiliated with the state's Hindu nationalist groups.

A legal challenge has been filed with the Bombay High Court, arguing that the legislation oversteps constitutional limits and infringes on citizens' fundamental rights to privacy, dignity and personal autonomy. The petition, which was submitted by a Muslim citizen named Maulana Halimullah Khan, calls on the court to either declare the act unconstitutional or at least ensure that it is applied strictly to cases involving genuine force, fraud or coercion.

In conjunction with the new legislation, the Maharashtra state government has also ordered an audit of all properties owned by Christian organizations.
See more details regarding this decision. To review other previously published reports addressing the persecution of Christians in India, go to our country profile.

• As church leaders representing congregations across the state of Maharashtra navigate the present legal challenges, may each one of them diligently seek God's wisdom and guidance that they may be fully equipped to respond with prudence and Christlike grace.

• Intercede on behalf of the judges presiding over the Bombay High Court, praying that those considering the recently submitted petition will exercise discernment and impartiality, so that their ruling would uphold justice and protect India's fundamental freedoms.

• Pray that as believers faithfully continue sharing the Gospel message throughout the nation and beyond, they will remain steadfast in their faith and confident in the Lord's ultimate sovereignty.

CHINA: Concerns Over Isolation of Imprisoned Pastor

Source: VOMC
Source: ChinaAid

Pastor Wang Yi in prison. Photo: ChinaAid

Recent reports indicate that Wang Yi, the imprisoned pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church, may be suffering from advanced liver cancer. Unfortunately, severe restrictions on family contact and communication have prevented anyone from verifying these claims or assessing Pastor Wang's current physical condition.

In response, the church has released an open letter expressing deep concern. According to the statement, his wife and family have only been permitted to visit him five times throughout the duration of Pastor Wang's eight-year incarceration. As a result, while they are unable to verify the accuracy of the reports, neither are they willing to dismiss them.

If the reports prove accurate, timely medical intervention is critical. Dr. Bob Fu, founder of ChinaAid, has expressed concern not only for Pastor Wang's health but also for the ongoing denial of family contact. He stated, "Whatever the Chinese government's position regarding Pastor Wang Yi's imprisonment, there can be no justification for denying a seriously ill prisoner access to his family and adequate medical care."

As Pastor Wang serves the remaining 15 months of his sentence, the church is calling believers around the world to uphold him in prayer: "We pray that the Lord will especially protect His servant, making [Pastor Wang's] body, mind and faith strong, blocking all attacks and schemes of evil; and, according to the Lord's will and timing, bringing him safely back to his family and the church."
To review additional reports concerning Pastor Wang and other Chinese believers who are suffering for their faith in Jesus, visit our country profile.

• If the reports concerning Pastor Wang's health are indeed accurate, pray that he will not only receive urgently needed medical care, but ultimately the Lord's divine healing touch, comfort and peace.

• During the remainder of his imprisonment, may this faithful servant be further strengthened spiritually and emotionally through tangible reminders of God's never-ending presence, sustaining grace and supernatural protection.

• Also pray for Pastor Wang's wife – along with other concerned members of his family and church community – asking the Lord to encourage their hearts, deepen their trust in Him, and provide them opportunities to meaningfully engage in fellowship with this beloved Christian leader while eagerly awaiting his release from imprisonment.

Prayer for the Persecuted - Monday October 5, 2026 @ 7 PM

1. Open in Prayer

2. Scripture: Psalm 13: How Long, O LORD?

3. Worship Video: How Long, O Lord | Worship from persecuted Nigerian Christians

Prayer for the Persecuted:

4. Nigeria - The violence continues

5. Pakistan: Inside Pakistan’s Brick Kilns

6. Lebanon - Martyr's Widow Begins Cancer Treatment

7. ALGERIA: 12 Christians Arrested During Worship Service

8. Bangladesh - Conditions Worsen for Stateless Rohingya Christians

Recent News:

   Seven Letters from the Persecuted Church

   Canada Grants Asylum to Iranian Christian Deported from US - ICC

• Muslims Protest against Pork Restaurant in Indonesia
• More Christians Killed in Previously Attacked Area in Nigeria
• Muslims Stall Construction of Church Building in Indonesia
• Baptist Pastor, other Christians Killed in Plateau State, Nigeria 
• Police in Algeria Arrest 12 Christians during Worship

ALGERIA: 12 Christians Arrested During Worship Service

Source: Morning Star News

Police in Algeria raided a Christian worship gathering at the House of Refuge shelter near Oran
on September 4, arresting all 12 believers present. Authorities confiscated Christian literature, mobile phones, and identification documents before detaining the group for questioning. 

The Christians may face prosecution under Algeria's restrictive Ordinance 06-03, which regulates non-Muslim worship and can impose prison terms and heavy fines for unauthorized religious gatherings. 

The incident reflects ongoing pressure on Christians in Algeria, where many Protestant churches have been ordered closed and numerous believers have faced legal action in recent years. Christian leaders say the raid is part of a broader pattern of government efforts to restrict and control Christian activity in the country. 

Pray for the 12 detained Christians, for legal protection and courage, and for greater religious freedom for believers throughout Algeria.

Pray that Christians will find a way to continue to worship together even though many churches have been closed.

Pakistan: Inside Pakistan’s Brick Kilns

 Source: Global Christian Relief

GCR ambassador David Latting traveled to Pakistan
in late August to meet Christian families living and working
 in brick kilns under generations of bonded labor.

GCR: What did the kilns look, sound, and feel like?

David: Stepping into the brick kilns was like stepping into Egypt. You could see the ruthless nature of the constant production, regardless of the human soul and the image of God. There was no dignity in those brick kilns. There was only work to be done.

It was so noisy, but so quiet. There was so much noise from machines, animals, and shovels hitting mud, but there was no music. There was no singing.

I see construction workers in the heat, and there’s at least a sense of camaraderie. Here there was none of that. There wasn’t even peace at the end of the day. You could feel it.

GCR: What surprised you most about the Christian families you met?

David: Their endurance. Something I saw in every kiln was the families’ smiles and their genuine ability to refrain from despair.

In every interview, I would ask the same question: How have you endured? How have you kept faith in Christ? I kept hearing Psalm 23 and Psalm 91. And they believed it. They looked at us, weeping, saying, “Look, here we are. Look at the faithfulness of God. We had no hope. We continued to hope despite the lack of it.”

GCR: Tell us about Pastor Samuel and why that meeting stayed with you.

David: My first interaction with Pastor Samuel was on the back of a donkey cart. There were no seats. You stand, basically donkey surfing. It was awesome. We didn’t speak the same language, but we were laughing because I was trying not to fall, and he was trying to keep me from falling. I’m six foot six and 250 pounds. I’m a big guy next to him.

Then we went from that moment into the seriousness of his house. He was looking at the Word of God, and to me it felt like one of those big moments when a promise had been fulfilled. He had read the Bible to his family for years. He knew it to be true, and now it had happened. The faithfulness of God was everything.

Psalm 91 was especially meaningful because my wife had been praying Psalm 91 for me every night while I was in Pakistan. It felt like a genuine family moment.

In situations like this, everything can feel compartmentalized: you’re there, I’m here. We’re on different sides of the world. But in that moment, we were really sitting at one table. I thought, “You are my brother.” And I felt it. It wasn’t artificial. We had a brotherly experience, and then we sat down with brotherly love.

GCR: What made him a pastor inside the kilns?

David: He had been enslaved when he was 12 years old, so before that, he knew how to read. He was the one with the Bible. He read Scripture to people and told them what it meant, and people gathered because of that.

He had faith in God. That’s what made him pastoral. You could feel it. It was definitely a vocation. His occupation was brickmaking, but his vocation was caring for the souls of others.

He cared for mine.

The harsh reality for Christians in Pakistan

• 20,000 Brick Kilns in Pakistan
• 1.5 to 2.4M Christians in bonded labor
• 1/3 laborers are children
• $809 average debt

Another Example:
Mumtaz & Shagufta 

A loan that his grandfather took out was passed down to Mumtaz's father and then to him. His own 10-year-old son just started making bricks, the fourth generation of slavery.

35 Years Enslaved
$718 total debt

Global Christian Relief has a goal of freeing 500 Christians from bonded labor.

Pray for the thousands of Christians held in bonded labor.  Pray that they will be set free and that they will keep their faith strong in God.

Lebanon - Martyr's Widow Begins Cancer Treatment

Source: iCommitToPray

Lebanon was flooded with Syrian refugees like
these boys during its civil war. Some
refugees also fled religious persecution.

A Christian refugee whose husband was killed by his family for converting to Christianity has been diagnosed with cancer. Nour became a widow after her Syrian husband’s father and brother attacked and murdered him upon learning he had come to faith in Christ. They also attacked Nour, but she survived and fled to Lebanon with her three young children. They lived in cemeteries for nine days until local Christians found and helped them. Nour has since learned that she has cancer and has begun treatment. 

“Pray for her and her children,” said a front-line worker. 

“Pray that she will survive this health scare and also that she and her children will receive the comfort and support they need to heal emotionally as well.”

Praise God that many Muslim refugees in Lebanon have placed their faith in Christ and are active in local churches.

Pray that Christian converts from Islam will inspire their family members to follow Christ too.

Pray for front-line workers who proclaim the gospel in a dangerous, conflict-ridden environment. 

Bangladesh - Conditions Worsen for Stateless Rohingya Christians

Source: ICC

The Rohingya are known largely as a Muslim ethnic group forcibly driven from Myanmar. But a small subset of Rohingya are Christian. Numbering about 1,500 in total.

Life as a Rohingya refugee is typically difficult no matter what but more intense if you are part of the Rohingya Christian minority, who face not only displacement and statelessness but also the hostility directed at apostates.
 

But Myanmar has denied them citizenship, even though their families have inhabited the area for several generations. Authorities instead regard the Rohingya as illegal migrants from neighboring Bangladesh. 

In May 2025, India deported a group of 40 Rohingya — including 15 Christians,. The Indian authorities ferried them into international waters, then distributed life jackets and abandoned them off the coast of Myanmar — the very country from which most Rohingya fled because they were facing abuses that many regard as a genocide. These deported Rohingya have since managed to make their way to another part of Southeast Asia.
 

In September 2026, Indian authorities served eviction notices to hundreds of Rohingya families, forcing them to dismantle the makeshift homes and shops they had built throughout the years, in some cases as long as 15 years ago. With no place else to go, these evicted Rohingya were soon sitting on the roadside.  

Most Rohingya outside Myanmar have a U.N. refugee card, which should provide some legal protection. But “the card is not a remedy at all,” Shalom said, adding that all the Rohingya who were detained or deported had these cards in their possession.    

Shalom said the Rohingya in India these days are not hired for jobs, and their children are not able to attend school. “We have to live on the fringes of society,” he added.  

Despite the bleak circumstances, Rohingya Christians have not reached out to Indian Christians.  “It is risky both for them and for us to have contact with each other,” Shalom said. “Minorities in India are already facing problems, and if somehow they are found to be in contact with us, they could suffer even worse consequences.”

Shalom said he and his fellow believers would like to leave India at this point. But, to say the least, it’s unclear where they can go. After all, they are unwelcome in any country and, as apostates, they are excluded and, at times, victimized by non-Christian Rohingya. 

Whether in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, or elsewhere, “None of us is safe at all,” Shalom said. “There is the same fear … the same mental trauma.”  

He knows of no Rohingya Christian who holds citizenship in any country. With no nation obligated or inclined to help, they hope a Christian or humanitarian organization will secure a place to live and work with some level of legal protection. 

 

They may not have a country, but they still feel they will find a home somewhere. As Shalom said, “We are living with the hope that we will one day make it.” 

Pray for their safety as they are oppressed on every side.

Pray for the Rohingya Christians that they will find a country that will take them in, where they can build their life and their children can go to school.