“Heavily armed bandits” are reported to have raided at least two churches in Nigeria on Sunday and kidnapped 163 worshippers, officials report.
The kidnappings happened in a rural Christian community in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state in north-central Nigeria, reports International Christian Concern (ICC).
ICC president Shawn Wright said he was “deeply troubled” by the reports and called for urgent action from Nigerian and US leaders.
Rev Joseph Hayab, who leads the northern region of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said that there were “large numbers” of attackers and that they struck “in the middle of the service”.
“172 people were initially abducted, but nine of them escaped immediately after the attack,” he said.
ICC said that an investigation has been launched by local authorities but no group has yet claimed responsibility.
“This is a cruel act against innocent people gathered to worship,” said Wright.
“I ask people around the world to join me in praying for the safe return of those taken, for comfort for their families, and for peace to replace this violence.
“We must stand together in compassion and hope.”
Ini Ememobong, national publicity secretary at People’s Democratic Party Head Office, was critical of the Nigerian government and called for immediate action to protect all Nigerians.
“These frequent attacks on worshippers in their places of worship, irrespective of religion, represent the inability of this government to protect the constitutionally enshrined right to freedom of worship,” Ememobong was quoted as saying by ICC.
“Nigerians must not live in fear when going to churches or mosques to worship. The entrenchment of such brazen criminality under this administration is totally unacceptable.”
US Congressman Riley Moore said it was “horrific news”.
“Our brothers and sisters in Christ are facing an existential threat at the hands of the Fulani militants,” he said.
“More must be done to protect them, and I urge the Nigerian government to ensure the swift and safe return of all those who were captured.”
Mass abductions have terrorised parts of Nigeria for years. One of the most recent incidents occurred last November when over 200 students and teachers were abducted from a Catholic school in Niger state. They were all eventually freed or escaped.
ICC said Christian communities in rural areas have been especially targeted as they have “scant security”.
“The protection of citizens is the government’s primary constitutional responsibility. Every Nigerian deserves to worship in safety,” Ememobong said.
“The Tinubu administration must demonstrate that Nigerian lives matter through immediate action, not empty promises. The families of the 163 kidnap victims anxiously await their return.”
Last year US President Donald Trump moved to redesignate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern and surprised the international community with military strikes at Christmas on what were described as militant bases. The strikes were in response to the “targeting” of Nigerian Christians and Trump has since threatened to carry out more if Christians continue to be targeted.
The Open Doors World Watch List published last week said that Nigeria is the deadliest country for Christians. The country ranks 7th in the organisation’s list of countries where it is most dangerous to be a Christian.
Release International, another organisation supporting persecuted Christians, recently warned that the number of Christians in Nigeria being killed could double this year without immediate action to halt the violence.
