Mass kidnapping of Christians in Nigeria: Human rights activists call on government to strengthen protection measures

Nigeria has once again experienced another mass kidnapping incident, with 163 Christians seized in an attack on two churches. Amid ongoing attacks by militants, Islamists and bandits, human rights organizations are calling on the country’s government to take stronger measures to protect its population, criticizing the lack of security services and transparency.

Christian Today reports that 163 Christians were kidnapped by «heavily armed bandits» during an attack on two churches on Sunday. The incident was yet another in a string of brutal attacks, kidnappings and killings plaguing the Nigerian population.

Nigeria’s security services have been repeatedly criticized for their inability to prevent attacks, and sometimes for their complete lack of response, even with advance warnings. In response to the ongoing crisis, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency and promised to double the police force. In addition, the Nigerian government has authorized the U.S. to conduct airstrikes against militant camps in the north of the country on Christmas Day.

The CEO of Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria, Rev. Yunusa Sabo Nmadu, said, «While we welcome the military gains made in the past few months, CSW condemns the repeated attacks on vulnerable people in Kurmin Wali and surrounding communities.» He called on security agencies to ensure the speedy release of the abductees and strengthen security in all other vulnerable areas. «We also call on the government to strengthen the local capacity of these residents to serve as the first line of defense against terrorists who are growing bolder with each unpunished abduction,» Nmadu added.

In addition to failing to prevent many of the attacks, Nigerian authorities have been criticized for minimizing the religious component of the violence and trying to hide its extent. President Tinubu apparently assumed that both Christians and Muslims were equally victimized. While this may be true in cases of ordinary gang violence, there are numerous examples of Islamic militants carrying out violent acts specifically against Christian populations.

Founder and president of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Mervyn Thomas, called for more transparency and honesty from the government. «CSW is very concerned about official attempts to cover up the abductions that have taken place in Kurmin Wali and to prevent residents from speaking to the press,» he said. Thomas emphasized that the Nigerian government at both state and federal levels must be transparent about the extent and severity of the security crisis the country is experiencing, and in particular the asymmetry with which Christian communities are being persecuted. This is necessary to ensure an effective response to terrorism that has for too long marred the lives of vulnerable citizens across central Nigeria.

Recall that according to the annual World Watch List 2026 (WWL) report published by Open Doors, North Korea is the most dangerous country in the world for Christians, while Nigeria is recognized as the deadliest. The annual report also indicates that the number of Christians experiencing high levels of persecution for their faith has risen to 388 million in the last year — an increase of 8 million from the previous WWL. These figures mean that one in seven Christians worldwide, two in five in Asia and one in five in Africa face persecution.