A new investigation by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has revealed a shocking surge in anti-Christian violence across Nigeria. Covering the period between 10 August and 26 October 2025 — a span of just 76 days — the report documents over 100 Christians killed and about 120 others abducted.
Key Findings of the Report
Intersociety’s data, compiled from eyewitness accounts, local media, and field researchers, paints a grim picture of religiously motivated violence. Of the 120 Christians kidnapped, at least 12 are feared dead based on trends from previous abductions. The organisation attributes most of the killings and kidnappings to Fulani jihadist herdsmen and Boko Haram insurgents, both of which have operated with near impunity in several northern and Middle Belt states.
- Fulani militants were responsible for approximately 80 killings and 110 abductions.
- Boko Haram and allied jihadist groups carried out around 20 killings and 10 abductions.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred on 14 October 2025, in Rochas village, Barkin Ladi County, Plateau State. Thirteen Christians, including children as young as six, were massacred in a night raid by suspected Fulani militants. The report listed their names, ages, and family connections, underscoring the deeply personal cost of this ongoing crisis.
Geographical Spread and Victims
The violence remains concentrated in Nigeria’s Middle Belt — especially in Southern Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, and Nasarawa. These areas sit at the intersection of Muslim-majority northern regions and Christian farming communities, making them vulnerable to recurring sectarian clashes.
Victims include both adults and children, often entire families wiped out in a single attack. Many abductees are believed to be held in makeshift “hostage camps” deep within forests like Rijana Forest and Benue’s forest belts. According to Intersociety, more than 800 Christians remain captive in such camps across the country.
Why the Report Matters
The Intersociety report highlights that these incidents are not isolated or random. Instead, they form part of a systematic campaign of terror targeting Christian communities.
In just 76 days, Nigeria witnessed more than one Christian killed or kidnapped every day. The group’s previous findings estimated over 7,000 Christians killed in the first 220 days of 2025, suggesting that persecution has reached an unprecedented level.
Religious and Political Dimensions
Intersociety argues that these attacks go beyond simple “banditry.” They reflect coordinated jihadist operations driven by religious and ethnic motivations. While the Nigerian government often labels such incidents as “farmer-herder conflicts” or “criminal activities,” the report insists that Christians are being specifically targeted for their faith.
The organisation describes the violence as “unchecked, widespread, and systematic.” The repeated failure of security forces to arrest or prosecute perpetrators, it says, has emboldened extremists to act without fear of punishment.
Impact on Christian Communities
The toll on Christian communities has been devastating. Churches have been burned, pastors kidnapped, and entire congregations displaced. Many survivors now live in overcrowded internally displaced persons (IDP) camps with minimal food, healthcare, or psychological support.
In states like Benue and Plateau, farming has collapsed due to persistent insecurity, leaving thousands impoverished. “We no longer go to our farms after sunrise,” one survivor told local media. “We fear what waits in the bushes.”
Humanitarian and Rights Implications
The ongoing violence has created one of the most pressing humanitarian crises in Sub-Saharan Africa. Families have been torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, and thousands forced to flee their ancestral lands.
Human rights groups say the Nigerian government’s slow response has worsened the crisis. Many victims’ families accuse authorities of ignoring their pleas, failing to provide protection or justice. Intersociety’s report accuses the government of “gross negligence and moral complicity.”
International Reactions
The findings have sparked alarm among international organisations and faith-based groups. Human rights advocates are urging global attention to what they describe as “religious cleansing by attrition.”
The United Nations, European Union, and several Western governments have previously criticised Nigeria for inadequate protection of religious minorities. Some analysts now suggest stronger measures — including targeted sanctions and suspension of military aid — if Abuja fails to address the escalating persecution.
Security and Governance Challenges
Intersociety’s report underscores the deep flaws in Nigeria’s security structure. Limited intelligence gathering, underfunded rural policing, and delayed military responses have allowed militants to dominate remote areas.
In many places, villagers rely on community vigilantes for defence, but these groups lack resources and training. Attacks often happen at night, and security reinforcements arrive hours — or even days — later.
Such systemic weaknesses have eroded public trust in the state. The report calls on the government to overhaul its security approach, emphasising local intelligence networks, rapid response systems, and accountability for security failures.
Humanitarian Solutions and Peacebuilding
Beyond immediate security measures, experts believe Nigeria needs a multi-dimensional strategy combining relief aid, interfaith dialogue, and socio-economic development.
Intersociety advocates:
- Improved data transparency, so the government publicly tracks religiously motivated attacks.
- Humanitarian relief for displaced families — including food, shelter, trauma therapy, and education.
- Faith-based peacebuilding programs that encourage understanding between herder and farming communities.
- Prosecution of militants and dismantling of hostage camps.
- International monitoring to ensure accountability and accurate reporting.
Complexities and Critiques
Some analysts caution against framing the violence purely as “Christian persecution.” They argue that land competition, climate change, and resource scarcity have also intensified conflicts between herders and farmers of different faiths.
However, Intersociety maintains that the religious identity of victims and perpetrators cannot be ignored. The pattern of attacks, it says, overwhelmingly targets Christian-majority villages and church institutions.
The Nigerian government, for its part, often denies allegations of religious bias, stating that it combats all forms of terrorism equally. Yet, as Intersociety points out, the continued lack of effective protection for Christian populations remains undeniable evidence of state failure.
What Lies Ahead
The report concludes with several urgent recommendations. It calls for immediate government intervention, improved policing in vulnerable areas, and support for victims’ families. It also urges the international community to put diplomatic pressure on Nigeria to uphold human rights and protect its Christian citizens.
Peace and stability, Intersociety notes, will require rebuilding trust between divided communities. Without a sincere effort to reconcile differences and enforce justice, Nigeria risks deeper sectarian fragmentation.
Conclusion
The Intersociety report exposes an escalating humanitarian and human rights crisis. Over 100 Christians killed and 120 kidnapped in just 76 days is more than a statistic — it represents families destroyed, communities silenced, and faith tested under fire.
Unless urgent action is taken by both the Nigerian government and the international community, these atrocities may become the new normal. The path to peace demands more than sympathy — it requires accountability, reform, and the courage to protect every citizen, regardless of faith.
