Nigeria Church Group Denies Christians Freed By Army After Deadly Easter Attacks

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

ABUJA (Worthy News) – A Nigerian church group has denied army claims that troops rescued dozens of Christians abducted during a deadly Easter attack, as conflicting reports emerged about the number of victims in northwestern Kaduna State.

The announcement by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) regional chairman Reverend John
Joseph Hayab followed Easter
Sunday violence that reportedly killed at least two dozen Christians in two Nigerian states on Easter Sunday.

The Nigerian military said it had freed 31 people after suspected Islamic gunmen stormed churches in Ariko village in Kaduna’s Kachia Local Government Area on Easter Sunday.

However, CAN said it was not aware of any captives being freed and disputed the army’s account, saying victims remained in the hands of attackers.

“Yes, the military are doing their best to get them back home, but it is not fair for the military to claim that the victims have been rescued,” CAN’s Hayab added.

“Now we have misinformation. When we are busy denying, we are just giving the bandits the opportunity to strike and go freely,” he added.

CONFLICTING REPORTS EMERGE

Local accounts also challenged the army’s casualty figures.

The military said five people were killed, but local resident and former Ariko village head Iliya Audu said at least seven Christians died in the attack.

“We are just returning from the burial of those killed. No single soul was rescued,” Audu stressed, adding funerals were held Monday.

Other Christian sources said the death toll could be as high as 12, though this could not be independently verified.

Residents explained that the attackers targeted worshippers at an Evangelical Church Winning All site and at St. Augustine Catholic Church, killing several people, kidnapping dozens, and damaging both church buildings.

VIOLENCE SPREADS TO BENUE

The Easter violence was not limited to Kaduna.

In central Benue State, suspected Fulani herdsmen, reportedly accompanied by other militants, killed at least 17 Christians in an early morning raid on Jande village in the Gwer East area, local residents said.

Witnesses said the gunmen opened fire on villagers, abducted others, and destroyed homes, leaving the community devastated.

Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia described the killings as “heinous” and unacceptable.

NIGERIA TOPS GLOBAL CHRISTIAN KILLINGS

The attacks come amid ongoing concerns about violence against Christians in Nigeria.

According to the Open Doors 2026 World Watch List, Nigeria ranks among the most dangerous countries for Christians.

Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith between October 2024 and September 2025, 3,490—about 72 percent—were in Nigeria, the highest number globally.

Nigeria ranks seventh on the list of countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, said advocacy group Open Doors.

ROOTS OF THE VIOLENCE

Analysts say the violence is driven by a complex mix of factors, including religious extremism, land disputes, and economic pressures.

While the predominantly Muslim Fulani are a diverse group, some factions have been linked to attacks on Christian communities.

A report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief said certain armed Fulani groups employ tactics similar to Islamist organizations such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province.

These groups have been accused of targeting Christian communities, alongside broader insurgent movements operating in Nigeria’s north.

TRUMP RAISES PRESSURE

The violence has drawn international attention, including from Donald J. Trump, who has repeatedly warned about the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

Trump previously designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” and described the killings of Christians as a “genocide.”

On Christmas Day 2025, he ordered U.S. airstrikes against Islamic State-linked targets in northwestern Nigeria’s Sokoto State, warning militants there would face “hell to pay” if attacks on Christians continued.

Latest Worthy News