A new report says that 620 Christians in Nigeria have been killed by militants so far in 2020, and around 12,000 have been killed over the course of the last five years.

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law released the report recently. The Voice of the Martyr's Canada (VOMC) CEO Floyd Brobbel says it is an "epic battle."

Christian villages routinely face coordinated attacks from the terrorist group Boko Haram. VOMC says that the group's goal "is to create an Islamic caliphate in Nigeria, thus considering the large Christian population an obstacle to their plans. Similar Islamic ideologies held by the Fulani herdsmen led to daily attacks on villages that are predominantly Christian. Men, women and children have been slaughtered without hesitation."

Christianpersecution.com says that around 50 per cent of Nigeria's population is Christian, with 75 per cent being Protestant, 24 per cent Roman Catholic, and then a small Orthodox community.

The attacks have been increasing recently, and many groups have called it a genocide. Besides the deaths, Genocide Watch says that four to five million Christians are displaced, 2,000 churches have been destroyed.

VOMC has asked for Christians to pray for their Nigerian brothers and sisters. "May God minister great comfort and healing to all who have been injured or bereaved as a result of the militants' brutal attacks. In addition, pray for the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls, that they will be assured of the Lord's abiding presence as they await release from captivity. Continue to uphold President Buhari and other members of the Nigerian government as they make further attempts to rescue the remaining girls and provide protection for vulnerable citizens. As they persevere in their endeavours to overcome terrorism, may they be granted wisdom, courage, strength and help from on high."