Violence against Christians is on the rise in Nigeria: kidnappings, attacks, and international outcry

Nigeria is experiencing an alarming escalation of violence against Christian communities, with a series of coordinated attacks ranging from the kidnapping of girls to assaults on churches, according to Catholic media outlets such as ZENIT.

In the town of Eruku, in Kwara State, an armed group attacked a Pentecostal church during a service at night. Two people were killed, several were wounded, and the pastor, along with dozens of parishioners, was dragged into nearby bushes. Authorities have been unable to specify the number of missing persons, intensifying fear among families.

Just two days earlier, in Kebbi State, armed men invaded a public girls’ school and kidnapped at least 20 students. During the assault, the assistant principal was killed defending the students. Similarly, the Catholic parish of Kushe Gugdu, in the Archdiocese of Kaduna, was attacked: the parish priest was kidnapped, and parishioners held vigils to demand his release.

The violence also reached St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State, where nearly 100 students and staff members were kidnapped during an approximately two-hour assault. A guard was seriously injured. The Diocese of Kontagora has denounced this incident as a direct attack on the most vulnerable.

This escalation of violence has drawn international attention, particularly from the Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV strongly condemned the crisis, noting that the combination of religious tension, territorial disputes, and criminality is behind these attacks.

Human rights organizations have already warned that up to 100 attacks on churches occur in Nigeria each month and that some 32 Christians lose their lives every day, according to data from the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law.

These events urgently underscore the need for the international community, as well as the Nigerian authorities, to act to protect religious freedom and guarantee the safety of Christian communities in the country.