A new spate of violent attacks in Nigeria has claimed the lives of at least 113 people, many of whom are Christians, according to well-informed sources reporting to Worthy News on Tuesday. The latest wave of brutality has further destabilized Nigeria’s central Plateau State, where religious violence and communal conflicts continue to rage.
Renewed Terror Amid Rising Tensions
Paul Jongas, a Christian farmer and evangelist who fled anti-Christian violence and now resides in Abuja, reported, “More Christians have been killed, including in Jos,” referring to the administrative capital and largest city of Plateau State. With Easter fast approaching, Jongas fears that the vulnerability of Christian communities will only intensify, leaving believers at the mercy of extremist groups.
Recent attacks have displaced thousands of Nigerian Christians. According to advocacy group Open Doors, since the end of March, Fulani militant herdsmen have attacked at least eight communities in the local government areas of Bokkos and Bassa. Open Doors noted that alongside the 113 reported fatalities—numbers that could potentially be higher—six people are missing, and over 300 homes have been destroyed, leaving more than 3,000 people displaced.
A Series of Devastating Incidents
The most recent attack occurred on Palm Sunday night, April 13, in a predominantly Christian community in Bassa. A local contact with Open Doors revealed that 43 people were killed in this assault, with several houses burnt down with occupants trapped inside. This brutal incident is among a string of violent attacks that have shaken the region:
- April 11: In the predominantly Christian village of Zogu in Miango District, Bassa County, suspected herdsmen killed three family members—a father and his two sons.
- April 8: Earlier that week, herdsmen raided three Christian villages in Bassa, killing two people.
- March 24 and March 27: Additional reports indicate that three Christian farmers were killed while working their land, and 11 Christians were murdered during a funeral, including a pregnant woman and a ten-year-old girl.
Joseph Chudu Yonkpa, a community leader, told MSN, “Barely 24 hours after we laid to rest our beloved brethren of Hwrra village killed by Fulani militias, these same herdsmen have launched three separate deadly attacks on our communities on the night of April 8. These attacks are part of a disturbing trend of violence and destruction of farm crops that has plagued the area for years.”
Government Response and Growing Outcry
The Nigerian National Emergency Agency confirmed that gunmen had killed at least 50 people in Plateau State just last week, displacing nearly 2,000 others. In a strong statement, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu condemned the violence and called on state leadership to find “a lasting solution” to the persistent communal conflicts. “We cannot allow this devastation and the tit-for-tat attacks to continue. Enough is enough,” Tinubu declared through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Critics, however, contend that more decisive action is required from Tinubu and his allies to safeguard Christian communities from extremist groups intent on the Islamization of the region. Open Doors recently reported that in 2024, approximately 3,100 Christians were killed and over 2,000 were kidnapped in Nigeria, highlighting the systemic nature of the crisis.
The Human Cost: Displacement and Fear
The ongoing violence has forced millions of Christians in sub-Saharan Africa to flee their homes. In Nigeria alone, the incessant attacks on innocent believers have led to the displacement of thousands into camps that are dangerously undersupplied. Titus Ayuba Alams, a Christian and special adviser on workers’ welfare, lamented, “Our people are living in fear. Children no longer go to school, even worship in churches, because you are running for your life.”
Pastor Barnabas, now residing in a displacement camp after narrowly surviving a violent attack, added, “We feel ignored, forgotten. Like we are in the dark. But I will not lose my confidence in God. I will always encourage the Christians here.”
A Region Under Siege
The anti-Christian violence in Plateau State is largely attributed to extremist Islamist militant groups such as Boko Haram and its splinter factions, as well as militias or bandits linked to Fulani herdsmen. While the Fulani, who number in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, include diverse clans—many of which do not hold extremist views—certain factions adhere to radical Islamist ideologies. These groups have waged a campaign of land grabs against Christian farming communities in Nigeria’s fertile Middle Belt, driven by economic disparities and ideological hatred.
Nigeria, with a population of nearly 229 million, is home to 53.5% Muslims and 45.9% Christians, according to official estimates. Despite the heavy toll of persecution, the gospel continues to spread. Over the past twenty years, Christianity has grown from around 40% of the population in 2001 to nearly 50% today—its strength underscored by resilience in the face of unrelenting violence.
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