Over 1,400 Nigerians fallen victim to terrorist attacks, kidnappings in less than 3 months

Between January 1, 2026, and April 6, 2026, a total of 1,402 Christians were killed or abducted by terrorists in Nigeria, according to the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, also known as Intersociety.

n

During this 96-day period, 450 people lost their lives, while 600 were taken captive, highlighting the alarming rate of violence and abduction targeting Christians in the country.

n

The Chairman of Intersociety, Mr Emeka Umeagbalasi, revealed that the persecution of Christians and the destruction of churches in Nigeria have escalated, with the involvement of state actors remaining unchecked.

n

Despite the Nigerian government's efforts to downplay the situation, spending tens of millions of dollars on international lobbying and globetrotting, the violence against Christians has continued unabated, with the government attempting to replace the reality of attacks with false narratives of "farmers-herders' clashes" caused by climate change.

n

Umeagbalasi accused the government of trying to conceal the truth by promoting a false narrative, which has been overshadowed by the growing evidence of bias and protection of terrorists by Nigeria's security chiefs and government-affiliated Islamic groups.

n

According to Umeagbalasi, the number of Christian deaths includes 102 fatalities recorded during the Holy Week of March 28 to April 4, 2026, and 34 deaths on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026, as well as 20 Christian deaths between March 20 and March 27, and an additional 16 unreported deaths.

n

The Intersociety boss clarified that 180 of the reported Christian deaths were a result of the 1,800 abducted Christians across Nigeria since January 2026, who did not survive their captivity due to physical torture, starvation, and other inhuman treatments.

n

Umeagbalasi noted that for every ten abducted Christians, one does not return alive, and for every 100 abducted, ten do not survive, highlighting the dire consequences of the jihadist captivity.

n

On Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026, at least 34 Christians were killed, with 17 deaths in Benue and 15 in Kaduna, according to eyewitness accounts.

n

On March 28, 2026, a Boko Haram roadside bombing along the Pulka-Ngoshe Road in Southern Borno resulted in the deaths of 13 Christians and injured 24 others.

n

Two days later, on March 30, 2026, Boko Haram insurgents killed at least 21 Christians in the Kautikari Christian community of Chibok County in Southern Borno.

n

On Palm Sunday, March 29, 2026, Fulani and Boko Haram terrorists slaughtered at least 40 Christians and injured several others in Angwa Rubuka, Eto Baba, and nearby student residential areas near Jos in Plateau State, with US Congressman Riley Moore reporting 53 Christian deaths.

n

Intersociety interacted with the Founder of the Home for the Needy Foundation, Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, who also founded the International Christian Centre near Benin in Edo State, and was excited to learn about the Centre's success stories and its work with Christian IDPs.

n

The Centre, which was founded in 1992, has been providing shelter to orphans, widows, and vulnerable children, and since 2012, has been receiving large numbers of victims of genocide against Christians fleeing Boko Haram insurgency and other attacks from the North-East, North-West, and North-Central regions.

n

Currently, the Centre is home to 4,513 IDPs, mainly those fleeing Islamic Jihadist persecution in places like Southern Borno, Bauchi, Zamfara, Southern Kaduna, Kebbi, Taraba, Adamawa, Niger, Plateau, and Benue.