Honoring the Work, Life and Sacrifice of Pastor Johanna Shaibu

It has been five years since Pastor Shaibu was brutally killed. Every September, we pause to remember his life, honor his ministry, and reflect on the sacrifice he made for the sake of the gospel.

I remember that day as though it were yesterday.

We had just completed a ten-day ministry tour through Northern Nigeria. In many ways, it was like so many of our other trips—difficult, exhausting, and at times dangerous. Yet God had greatly blessed our labor for His Kingdom. We had traveled into this dangerous region primarily to share the gospel with Fulani Muslims, while also praying with and encouraging persecuted Christians who were faithfully standing for Christ.

At the end of the tour, we dropped Pastor Shaibu off at his home. His church stood adjacent to his property. We said goodbye, never imagining it would be the last time we would see him alive.

That evening, armed Muslim attackers came to his compound. They set fire to his church, entered his home, and attacked Pastor Shaibu with machetes, killing him. Before leaving, they also set his house on fire.

The next morning, the scene was horrific. The ruins were still smoldering, and Pastor Shaibu’s body lay motionless among the devastation. From what we could see, he appeared to have died quickly. There were almost no defensive wounds on his arms or hands. The initial blows to his head likely left him unconscious as his attackers continued their assault.

It happened on September 22, 2021.

A group of Muslims later claimed responsibility for Pastor Shaibu’s killing, saying the attack was retaliation for the ministry work we were doing in their area.

Five years have now passed, but I have never forgotten that day. There are moments when the memories return so vividly that I feel as though I am standing there again, looking at the smoldering remains and confronting the terrible cost that can come with following Christ in this part of the world.

Pastor Shaibu knew the risks, yet he remained faithful to his calling. His killers may have taken his life, but they could not erase his testimony or stop the work to which he had devoted himself.

Every September, we remember Pastor Shaibu—not simply for the way he died, but for the way he lived: faithfully serving Christ, proclaiming the gospel, and standing alongside persecuted believers until the very end.

His life and sacrifice will not be forgotten.