Christian leaders in Nigeria have renewed warnings of systematic violence against Christians following the abduction of dozens of worshippers during an armed attack on a church in Kogi state.
Speaking to journalists in the central city of Jos, the General Secretary of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev. Ayuba Asheshe, said the scale and pattern of violence against Christian communities amount to genocide. He said the church’s position is based on years of documented killings, kidnappings, displacement and destruction affecting Christians across multiple regions of Nigeria.
“We, as the Evangelical Church Winning All, state clearly that there is an ongoing genocide against Christians in Nigeria,” Asheshe said.
According to him, data gathered by ECWA and other organizations show that Christian communities in northern Nigeria, the Middle Belt and parts of western Nigeria have been repeatedly targeted. While acknowledging that insecurity affects Nigerians of all faiths, Asheshe said Christians remain disproportionately attacked by organized armed groups that often focus on churches, Christian villages and clergy.
He noted that such violence has existed for decades but escalated sharply after 2009, coinciding with the rise of Boko Haram and the expansion of armed Fulani militia activity in several states. Asheshe said many of these groups openly or implicitly target Christian populations and symbols of the Christian faith.
“There is verifiable evidence of a coordinated campaign of terror against Christians,” he said, adding that reports of attacks on Christian communities emerge almost daily.
Asheshe highlighted recurring patterns, including the burning of churches, mass kidnappings during worship services, killings of pastors and congregants, and the forced displacement of indigenous Christian populations. In many areas, he said, displaced families are unable to return home as armed groups occupy farmland and villages once inhabited by Christians.
He also pointed to the long-term economic impact of the violence, noting that prolonged displacement has destroyed livelihoods and weakened the ability of affected communities to rebuild their lives.
While stressing that Muslims have also suffered from insecurity, Asheshe said ECWA maintains that Christians are the primary targets of certain armed groups operating with explicitly anti-Christian motives. He urged the Nigerian government to uphold its constitutional duty to protect all citizens, regardless of religion.
Asheshe acknowledged steps taken by federal authorities to address insecurity but said those efforts have yet to deliver meaningful protection for vulnerable communities. He also appealed to international bodies, including the United Nations, the African Union and global human rights organizations, to increase pressure on the Nigerian government.
“The blood of innocent men, women and children cries out for justice,” he said.
His remarks followed a fresh attack on an ECWA congregation in Ayetoro Kiri, near Kabba, in Kogi state’s Kabba/Bunu local government area. Armed men stormed the church on Sunday morning while worship was underway.
Eyewitnesses said the attack occurred around 10 a.m., when more than 30 gunmen arrived on motorcycles and fired shots into the air as they entered the church compound. As congregants tried to escape, the attackers reportedly seized a number of people and forced them into nearby bush paths before fleeing.
Local residents and church officials later confirmed that about 30 worshippers were abducted, including women and elderly members. Authorities also confirmed the scale of the abduction.
One resident, Caleb Majekun, said the attackers moved openly through the town before disappearing into surrounding forests. Another local source reported that at least one person was killed during the assault, though the victim’s identity had not yet been released.
On the same day, three additional people were reportedly abducted in Ilai, another community near Kabba. Residents attributed the incident to suspected Fulani gunmen operating in the area.
Christian leaders say the attacks reflect a growing pattern in which churches are deliberately targeted during services, when large numbers of people are gathered. Kogi state, located in Nigeria’s North-Central region, has seen a rise in kidnappings along rural roads and in forested areas that provide cover for armed groups.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly documented similar incidents across Nigeria, linking attacks on Christian communities to Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and armed Fulani militias. Nigeria continues to rank among the countries with the highest number of Christians killed or abducted for their faith.
As of the time of reporting, the abducted worshippers from Ayetoro Kiri had not been released. Families remain anxiously awaiting information, while church leaders continue to call for stronger security measures around places of worship and better coordination between state and federal authorities.
Adapted from ICC.
