Nigeria: More than 160 Christians kidnapped in coordinated attacks on churches in Kaduna state

Nigeria has seen a new wave of violence against Christian communities in the northwest of the country. More than 160 Christians have been kidnapped in coordinated attacks on three churches in Kaduna state, which took place during Sunday services and mass. The incident adds to fears of growing insecurity and persecution of Christians in a region where some religious leaders say a “genocide” is taking place.

According to Tribune Chrétienne, gunmen simultaneously attacked three churches in the remote forest settlement of Kurmin Wali, located in the Kajuru zone, which is characterized by difficult access and poor security. The attacks targeted the Evangelical Church, the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, and the Catholic Church. The militants broke in during celebrations, sowing panic and mass kidnapping the parishioners present. Initially 177 people were reported missing, but eleven managed to escape, leaving 168 people still in captivity. The Christian Association of Nigeria for the Northern Regions confirms that no fewer than 160 Christians are still being held by armed groups.

These developments come against the backdrop of a statement by the Bishop of Makurdi, Monsignor Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, who in an interview said: “I, the Bishop of Nigeria, am telling you that there is a genocide of Christians going on.” The Kaduna State police have not provided a detailed official report, attributing this to the difficult geographical configuration of the areas with dense forests and a crumbling road network, making it difficult to respond quickly and gather information.

Although no group has claimed responsibility for the abductions, the MO is consistent with armed gangs operating from forest enclaves. These groups have been responsible for numerous kidnappings in northern Nigeria for several years. Their targets include villages, schools and now places of worship, with kidnappings most often used to extort ransoms.

The northern part of the country is currently the most affected region by this endemic insecurity. Christian communities that are regularly attacked claim that the situation has become unbearable and church attendance can now lead to mortal risk or prolonged captivity. These attacks on places of worship during services are perceived by many church officials as a real desecration, as they violate the sacred nature of these spaces and religious freedom.

The violence has also provoked reactions abroad. In the United States, several political figures, including former President Donald Trump, have repeatedly condemned what they call the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Washington has recently announced strikes against Islamist groups in the north of the country, but the operations have so far failed to definitively stop attacks on the ground.

While security forces continue to search for kidnappers and hostages, anxiety remains high among the families of the missing. For many Christians in Nigeria, these mass kidnappings confirm an increasingly brutal reality: practicing one’s faith in some parts of the country remains a dangerous act that must be paid for at the cost of freedom and sometimes even life.

Recall, earlier we reported that the United States of America has carried out a series of heavy airstrikes on the positions of the terrorist group “Islamic State” (ISIS) in the north-west of Nigeria. The operation, ordered by US President Donald Trump, was in response to mass attacks and killings of civilians, including Christians, by the terrorists. The strikes were coordinated with the Nigerian authorities and, according to preliminary data from the US military, resulted in the elimination of several militants.