Cameroon: Oumar, 20, shot by Boko Haram for refusing to renounce his faith
In a press release dated 18 September, the NGO Open Doors called on Christians worldwide to pray for Oumar, a young man persecuted by Boko Haram in the Far North of Cameroon.
Cameroon ranks 37th on Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of Christian persecution, with violence escalating particularly in the Far North region. There, extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP pose a constant threat to Christians. These groups “threaten, abduct, and forcibly convert Christians to Islam,” the organisation reports.
Oumar, whose story is detailed by the NGO in an article published on 18 September, was attacked by Boko Haram in January. Assailants stormed his village and killed more than twelve people, including his neighbour’s brother, a father of seven.
“After they took me out of the town, I told them I would not go with them. I called for help, and that’s when they shot me,” the 20-year-old recounted. Wounded in the leg, he was rushed to hospital for surgery. However, the medical team could not remove the bullet, causing Oumar ongoing pain.
“I am waiting for God to help me in my suffering.”
Open Doors shared three prayer requests for Oumar with Christians around the world: to thank God for protecting him from “this devastating attack,” to ask for his complete healing as he continues to receive medical care, and to pray for “peace and deliverance throughout the Far North region of Cameroon.”
