Nigerian Teacher Beaten to Death, Body Burned

A few days ago, I read a Compass Direct News article about a high school teacher in Northern Nigeria who was beaten to death by Muslim students over claims that she desecrated the Quran. As I read the article, I experienced mixed emotions that ranged from shock, anger to disbelief. Compass reported, Christianah Oluwasesin, was supervising a final examination on Islamic religious knowledge when she collected papers, books and bags from the all-girls class and in accordance with school procedure, dropped them in front of the class to prevent cheating.

According to another teacher, soon after Oluwasesin dropped the bags in front of the class, one of the girls began to cry. She told her classmates she had a copy of the Quran in her bag, that Oluwasesin touched the bag and by doing so had desecrated the Quran, since she was a Christian. This led to a riot which was joined by Muslim extremists, resulting in Oluwasesin being clubbed to death. They brought old mats to where her body was, placed dirt on her corpse and then burned it.

There is no way someone can read this story and remain apathetic about persecuted Christians around the world. I believe what was done to Oluwasesin reflects the immense dangers and brutality experienced by persecuted believers. Sometimes we never find out about their suffering. I cannot imagine what Oluwasesin experienced while being beaten and dragged around the school to her death. According to a teacher at the school, the Quran in question was never found. I was so impacted by Oluwasesin’s story, the Holy Spirit impressed on my heart to increase my prayer for persecuted believers. I encourage you to remember and pray for Christians in Nigeria and other parts of the world who face great persecution because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Pray Oluwasesin’s testimony will lead non-believers into the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Ask God to comfort her family. Oluwasesin fought the good fight of faith, now it is up to us.