On Wednesday, jihadists launched an attack on a church in rural Nigeria, resulting in the death of the pastor and at least two others, while also kidnapping several worshipers, according to police and eyewitnesses. This incident follows closely on the heels of the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from a boarding school just days earlier.
Footage released by media shows masked gunmen armed with rifles and machetes storming a church service in Kwara state, forcing worshipers to seek shelter. The attackers opened fire in the congregation, leading to at least two fatalities.
In the Christian Apostolic Church located in Elk, the sound of gunfire mixed with the screams of children could be heard during the chaos.
Reports indicate that this violent act has intensified scrutiny on the government, which faces mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has hinted at military intervention amid ongoing persecution of Christians.
In light of the recent assaults, President Bola Tinubu has delayed planned visits to South Africa and Angola, opting instead to focus on the security situation stemming from this and another recent attack. The presidency has released statements indicating that measures to track down the attackers in Kwara have been ramped up.
Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga noted that the president has instructed security forces to “employ all possible actions” to ensure the rescue and safe return of the kidnapped schoolgirls.
Earlier this week, rapper Nicki Minaj called for international efforts to safeguard religious freedom and address the persecution faced by Christians specifically. Speaking at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, she highlighted the plight of Christians in Nigeria, asserting that they are “being targeted, forced from their homes, and killed.”
Although information surrounding the recent anti-Christian violence remains somewhat unclear, police reports indicated that they were alerted to gunfire around 6 p.m. Upon arrival, they found one victim shot inside the church and another nearby, as confirmed by Kwara state police spokesperson Adetun Ejire Adeyemi.
Witnesses reported that at least three members of the church were killed during the attack.
“They then gathered several believers, including the pastor, and took them into the nearby forest,” reported Joseph Bitlas, the diocese leader, in a phone interview, although he didn’t specify how many were abducted.
Since the notorious Boko Haram group kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from Chibok back in 2014, about 1,500 students have faced abduction in the region, and Christians throughout Africa are encountering increasingly dire threats year after year.
Analysts and local residents attribute Nigeria’s rampant insecurity to the failure to hold known attackers accountable and widespread corruption, which hampers the ability of security forces to access necessary weapons while simultaneously ensuring that gangs remain well-armed.
