Bishop Bulus Yohanna calls for military action after 50 deaths, child abductions, and church attacks terrorize Nigerian communities over Christmas.
Newsroom (09/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) Communities in northwestern Nigeria are reeling from a wave of violence that left at least 50 people dead and dozens abducted during the Christmas season. The unrest, spanning several days between December 28 and January 3, prompted Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Kontagora to demand a decisive military intervention to root out the armed gangs responsible for terrorizing both Christian and Muslim residents.
In a January 6 statement, Bishop Yohanna condemned the renewed violence while urging Nigerian authorities to take immediate and forceful action to secure the region. “It is clear, pending the elimination of the bandits and their hideouts in Kainji Game Reserve, there is an immediate need for a large and well-equipped military task force in the area,” he said. Such a deployment, he added, must be capable of pursuing and eliminating the bandits “whenever they come out of the reserve for further attacks.”
A Bloody Week of Raids
Over the course of a week, heavily armed assailants rampaged through rural areas in Niger and Kebbi states, killing villagers, razing markets, and seizing women and children. The deadliest attack occurred on January 3 in the small Niger state settlement of Kasuwan Daji. There, bandits stormed the local market, tied victims’ hands behind their backs, and executed at least 42 people. According to the bishop, the victims included both Christians and Muslims. The raiders also torched the market and nearby homes and kidnapped an unknown number of women and children.
The series of attacks unfolded just days after U.S. air strikes targeted Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria’s northwest in coordination with the Nigerian government. Local residents fear that counterinsurgency efforts have done little to deter the roaming bandit groups that continue to operate with impunity across vast rural areas.
Churches, Police, and Homes Targeted
The bandits’ attacks extended beyond civilians to symbols of law enforcement and faith. On January 2, attackers invaded the compound of a Catholic church in Sokonbora village, destroying religious artifacts including a crucifix and depictions of the Stations of the Cross. They made off with motorcycles, phones, and cash before disappearing into the surrounding countryside. A day earlier, in Shafaci, they had struck a police station, incinerating documents and destroying equipment.
Bishop Yohanna described widespread panic following the assaults, with families abandoning their homes in fear. “In the entire area, there are many villages, however there is no single large town where people can run to for safety,” he said. “Nevertheless, the people are evacuating the area in large numbers, abandoning their homes and property.”
Trauma for the Youngest Victims
Adding to the tragedy, some of the children recently released from captivity after being kidnapped from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri found themselves once again hiding in the bush. More than 300 students and teachers were abducted from the school on November 21; fifty managed to escape, while the remainder were held captive until just before Christmas. The bishop reported that the children—already deeply traumatized—were forced to flee and hide during the most recent wave of violence.
A Call for Urgent Protection
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a pontifical charity, confirmed the massacres and echoed the bishop’s plea for immediate and effective government action. The organization condemned the escalating violence and urged Nigerian authorities to protect civilians, end widespread impunity, and restore safety across the affected regions.
While religious leaders emphasize that both Christians and Muslims are suffering under the onslaught, they warn that insecurity is feeding mistrust and displacing entire communities. Bishop Yohanna’s appeal reflects a growing frustration among local leaders who say that without a concentrated, well-resourced military presence, “there will be massive ongoing loss of lives and permanent displacement of large numbers of people.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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