Easter attacks in Nigeria leave dozens dead across Benue, Kaduna, and Nasarawa, highlighting rising Christian persecution and insecurity.
Newsroom (07/04/2026 Gaudium Press ) Days after the Palm Sunday massacre in Jos left more than 30 Christians dead, coordinated assaults across central Nigeria during the Easter weekend claimed dozens more lives. Communities in Benue, Kaduna, and Nasarawa states reported killings, abductions, and widespread destruction during one of the holiest periods of the Christian calendar.
Multiple States Hit by Coordinated Violence
In Benue State, at least 17 Christians were reportedly killed in the Mbalom community of Gwer East Local Government Area during an early morning attack on Easter Sunday. Residents said unidentified gunmen stormed the village before dawn, opened fire on civilians, and set homes ablaze. Survivors fled into surrounding bush areas, while search teams continued to recover additional bodies in the aftermath.
Mbalom has a history of deadly violence. In April 2018, armed assailants killed 19 Catholic worshippers, including two priests, during an attack at the community’s church.
Elsewhere in Gwer East, new violence erupted in Ikpayongo, roughly 10 miles south of Makurdi, where a local youth volunteer commander was killed. Locals alleged that an individual familiar to residents helped guide the attackers.
In Kaduna State, armed groups targeted Christian congregations during Easter services. Witnesses in Ariko, Kachia Local Government Area, said attackers entered the community around midnight and opened fire on worshippers. They first struck a church of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) before attacking a nearby Catholic parish.
At least 12 people were reported killed in Ariko. Residents said the attackers surrounded the community before opening fire, restricting escape routes. Several were abducted, though military personnel later secured the release of 31 captives.
In Kajuru Local Government Area, at least three Christians were killed in Maro Kasuwa during a separate early morning raid, with additional reports of kidnappings. Other villages across southern Kaduna also came under attack, with combined casualties from the region reaching at least 15.
Security tension spread into Kagarko Local Government Area as residents reported armed groups hiding in the bush near Kuratam, heightening fears of renewed violence.
In neighboring Nasarawa State, attacks in Udege precinct left at least ten people dead. The villages of Gidan-Ogiri, Akyewa Baka, and Udege-Kasa were hit, with multiple homes set ablaze.
Across all affected states, witnesses described attackers arriving on motorcycles and on foot, operating for long stretches before security forces arrived.
“The attacks against Christians during Holy Week in Nigeria are horrific,” said Shawn Wright, president of International Christian Concern. “Dozens of our brothers and sisters were killed as they remembered Christ’s sacrifice and celebrated the hope of His resurrection. As one Body of Christ, we pray for the survivors and families walking through unimaginable grief.”
Authorities have yet to release an official death toll for the Easter attacks, and formal government responses remained pending at the time of reporting. Local leaders have urged an expanded security presence and faster response times in rural districts.
A Recurring Cycle of Holiday Violence
The 2026 Easter attacks fit a steady pattern of violent episodes targeting Christian communities during major religious holidays in central and northern Nigeria.
-
2025: Plateau and Benue states recorded Holy Week raids on rural villages, with numerous civilian deaths.
-
2024: Easter-week attacks in Plateau left several villages razed following church services.
-
2023: Coordinated assaults in southern Kaduna claimed lives and led to widespread abductions.
-
2022: Benue and Plateau experienced Holy Week raids that displaced scores of farming families.
-
2021: Easter weekend killings and kidnappings were reported in Kaduna, attributed to armed militias.
These recurrent assaults often strike communities situated far from military outposts or major roads, where terrain and distance hinder rapid response. Many villagers live in areas with limited communication networks and little official protection.
The latest escalation underscores the persistent insecurity gripping Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where religiously motivated violence and communal conflicts continue to devastate rural populations — particularly during sacred periods like Easter and Christmas, when gatherings are most visible and vulnerable.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from persecution.org
Related Images:
