President Meloni receives two young Nigerian Christian women, victims of persecution

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni today received representatives from the 'Aiuto alla Chiesa che Soffre’ [‘ACS’; ‘Aid to the Church in Need’] Foundation at Palazzo Chigi, together with two young Nigerian Christian women who have been victims of persecution: Maria Joseph and Janada Markus, 19 and 22 years old respectively, both of whom fled the terrorists of Boko Haram.
The meeting was also attended by Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Alfredo Mantovano and by Sandra Sarti and Alessandro Monteduro, the President and the Director of the 'Aiuto alla Chiesa che Soffre’ Pontifical Foundation.
“You are an example to us, and we are taken aback by the dignity with which you have endured your profound suffering, by the heroism with which you have resisted, by the faith from which you have drawn your strength, and by the courage you have shown in telling your story” - President Meloni told them – “No more silence: we stand by your side, I am with you, Italy is with you”.
Maria was kidnapped together with 21 other people following an attack on the Bazzar community in 2013; she was held prisoner for nine years. Two of her brothers were later imprisoned at the same camp; one was killed, the other is still a prisoner. Janada and her family fled two attacks and reached Maiduguri, where the men of Boko Haram killed her father on 20 October 2018, decapitating him. In 2020, she was captured once again and underwent six days of emotional, physical and mental torture before then being released.
The 'Aiuto alla Chiesa che Soffre’ Pontifical Foundation invited Maria and Janada to Italy as part of the initiative ‘8 marzo, ascolta anche le loro grida’ [8th March, hear their cries too’].

The two young women are now being cared for at the trauma centre in Maiduguri, in North East Nigeria, which is run by the Diocese with the help of ACS. The Director of the Centre, don Joseph Fidelis Bature, was also present at today’s meeting.