Catholic priest in Nigeria’s Kogi State condemns latest church attack amid rising banditry, highlighting targeted persecution of Christians and government failures.
Newsroom (18/12/2025 Gaudium Press ) A senior Catholic priest in Nigeria has condemned a recent attack on a Christian congregation in Kogi State, describing it as part of a persistent pattern of insecurity and targeted persecution against Christians in the country’s North Central region.
In an exclusive interview with ACI Africa on Tuesday, December 16, Fr. Anthony Okoliko, Director of Communications for the Catholic Diocese of Idah, expressed profound shock over the assault on worshippers at the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Kogi State.
“Places of worship which are the most harmless spaces you can think of. To have Churches attacked again is deeply discouraging. This time it happened in Kogi State, where I live, very close to me. It left me shocked and disappointed with almost everybody and everything,” Fr. Okoliko said.
The priest portrayed the incident as a stark illustration of Nigeria’s broader failure to safeguard its citizens, particularly Christians, who he argued are disproportionately affected by escalating violence.
He characterized North Central Nigeria as a “hotbed of insecurity” plagued by banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism, exacerbated by the region’s central geographic position.
“We are in the middle of the country. If you are coming from the North, you access the West through the Central. If you are coming from the West, you access the North through the Central. If insecurity is not tackled properly, we will always be at the receiving end,” Fr. Okoliko explained.
Daily life in Kogi State, he added, has grown increasingly perilous, with no roads considered safe for travel due to persistent rumors and reports of kidnappings.
“No road now is safe. If you want to use one road, there is a rumour that people were kidnapped there a few days ago. You try another road, and the same story repeats. Yet we have a military barracks and even a naval post in parts of the state. With all these, banditry and terrorism are still on the increase,” the priest observed.
Fr. Okoliko sharply criticized Nigerian authorities for neglecting their fundamental obligation to protect lives and property, accusing some officials of politicizing human suffering.
“The government has a sacred duty to protect lives and property. Unfortunately, some people are playing politics with human life. That is why statements sometimes come out that are completely disconnected from the reality on the ground,” he stated.
The cleric went further, asserting that assaults on churches and clergy reveal a deliberate campaign of religious persecution directed at Christians.
“From historical antecedents, Churches have been major targets. I have not heard, at least in the same proportion, of imams being kidnapped like Pastors and Priests. Bishops have been threatened. Priests have been kidnapped. Pastors have been kidnapped,” Fr. Okoliko noted.
He emphasized the intentional nature of such violence, pointing out that attackers often strike during worship services, resulting in exclusively Christian casualties.
“There is strategy, there is deliberateness, and there is targeting of a particular group. In some attacks, assailants waited until Christians gathered for worship before striking. Those killed were Christians. This cannot be dismissed as a coincidence,” he argued.
While careful not to indict an entire faith community, Fr. Okoliko maintained that Christians endure the greatest share of religious persecution in contemporary Nigeria.
“We cannot make a universal accusation against all adherents of any religion. But from what we see and experience, Christians have suffered the most, and the persecution is ongoing,” he said.
With the Christmas season approaching—a period traditionally marked by heightened church attendance and celebrations—Fr. Okoliko advocated a dual approach of spiritual resilience and practical caution.
“First is prayer. I believe strongly in the power of prayer but prayer must go with vigilance. Jesus said, watch and pray. Christians should not be careless. Personal security consciousness is important,” the parish priest of St. John Paul II Parish in Idah Diocese advised.
He also urged religious leaders to press the government more vigorously to uphold citizens’ right to free worship and called on security forces to fulfill their protective mandate.
“It is the right of citizens to worship freely. It is the duty of the security apparatus to protect them,” Fr. Okoliko stressed.
Despite the atmosphere of fear, the priest encouraged Christians in Kogi State to resist panic during the festive period, urging them to balance vigilance with trust in divine protection.
“God has protected us through many challenges, including COVID-19. He will not abandon us now. The birth of Christ comes with peace. As we approach Christmas, let us live in peace, avoid unnecessary suspicion, and trust that God will protect His people,” he concluded in the December 16 interview.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from ACI Africa
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