Marking the eighth anniversary of Leah’s captivity, Christian organisations call for her release amid rising abductions of women and girls in the country.

The proposed law aims to curb underage marriages, eliminate gender-based disparities and strengthen child protection mechanisms in the province.

Fulani terrorists raided several churches in Easter Sunday. In addition to the murders, many Christians were kidnapped, and the church buildings were damaged.

Magistrate Monica Vella delivered the verdict for Matthew Grech, who faced up to five months in prison and a 5,000-euro fine if convicted of violating the Affirmation of Sexual Orientation, Gender and Gender Expression Act.

The denial of burial rights is often accompanied by threats of violence, forced conversions and harassment.

Fulani herdsmen raid the churches during Sunday school and the worship services, but the Kaduna state government denied the abductions. Eleven of the victims later escaped.

“The farmers were working on their farms when the herdsmen attacked them around 10 a.m. Four Christians are members of the same family”. 

Christian leaders in Nigeria believe herdsmen attacks are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam.

“We were framed under a completely fabricated case”, said a pastor who was arrested along with his wife and a Christian family of three.

They were charged with disrespecting the prophet Muhammad. At least 2,800 people were accused of blasphemy in Pakistan over the past 38 years.

Officers evacuated 36 people. District officials issued a statement asserting that the church would not take legal action against the assailants.

The 14-year-old girl was kidnapped at gunpoint from her home. She was tortured, sexually assaulted, forced to convert to Islam.

“Though this law is restricted to the Islamabad territory, it will help pave the way for a similar law in Punjab province, where Christian girls are the prime targets”, said a Christian attorney.

It will raise the legal age of marriage to 18. “It is also critical to protect Christian girls from the scourge of forced faith conversions", says a Christian deputy.  

The assault was the latest in a wave of violence reflecting a resurgence of jihadist attacks in Nigeria’s northeast by Boko Haram.

She was abducted two months prior by a Muslim neighbor who forcibly converted her to Islam and coerced her into marrying him.

Christians were tortured and accused of theft. The Sudanese Christian Youth Union asserted that the accusations were false.

The family decided to keep their faith secret for fear of Muslims of the area, since the father was a committee member in one of the mosques.

Days before, Fulani herdsmen also raided a village in Plateau state and killed 15 Christians.

In just one week, Fulani herdsmen killed 48 Christians, including women and children, many were on their way to church services.

A Christian was ambushed and killed, days after another Christian and his mother were slain.Spike in violence in central part of country continues.

“Today, the court has decided that certain thoughts, silent thoughts, can be illegal in the United Kingdom”, Adam Smith-Connor said after the court ruling.

At least 10 people were murdered and 30 kidnapped, including religious leaders, during several Sunday morning worship services, in just 2 weeks.

Residents said herdsmen also attacked other predominantly Christian villages in the Ukum area in the past three months

The victims are farmers and were working when 20 heavily armed assailants attacked. One of the Christians was shot and his hands was shattered.