• ADC accuses Kaduna govt, police of covering up church abduction
• FG reaffirms commitment to citizens’ safety, partners U.S. on religious freedom
• Trump says U.S. forces ‘annihilating’ terrorists killing Christians in Nigeria

Nigeria accounted for nearly 72 per cent of Christian killings worldwide between October 2024 and September 2025, according to the Open Doors World Watch List 2026, which said the figure reflects a persistent security breakdown rather than a sudden surge in violence.

The report said the findings point to a long-running crisis across key regions of the country, where attacks officially described as insurgency, banditry or communal clashes continue to expose the vulnerability of faith-based communities and the state’s limited capacity to protect civilians.

Globally, the World Watch List 2026 recorded 388 million Christians facing high levels of persecution, an increase of eight million from the previous year. North Korea, Somalia and Yemen topped the list of the most dangerous countries, while sub-Saharan Africa was identified as a major hotspot, with Nigeria accounting for most Christian deaths worldwide.

In Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where religious and ethnic identities often overlap, violence has remained particularly deadly. In Benue State, repeated assaults on farming communities in Logo, Guma and Ukum local government areas have forced thousands to flee their ancestral lands. Survivors reported night raids on villages, the burning of homes and churches, and killings that followed clear communal and religious lines.

Despite repeated appeals by state authorities, many displaced families remain in overcrowded camps, with little prospect of a safe return.
Neighbouring Plateau State has experienced similar cycles of violence. Attacks on villages in Mangu and Bokkos have targeted predominantly Christian settlements, reviving memories of earlier crises. Community leaders said the persistence of attacks despite military deployments had eroded public confidence in federal security interventions, while reprisals risked entrenching further instability.

In Kaduna State, the crisis has taken on a dual character. The initial denial of the abduction of more than 150 worshippers of the Evangelical Church Winning All and the Cherubim and Seraphim churches in Kajuru highlighted what observers described as official secrecy surrounding the experiences of Christians in the northern part of the state.

In southern Kaduna, communities in Kaura and Zangon Kataf have faced recurrent attacks linked to banditry and communal tensions, often with religious undertones. In the north of the state, mass abductions and raids by armed groups have disrupted religious life, closed schools and churches, and deepened fear across rural areas. Clergy have been among those kidnapped or killed, heightening concerns about targeted persecution.

ADC accuses Kaduna govt, police of covering up church abduction
This came as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) accused the Kaduna State Government and the Nigeria Police Force of attempting to cover up the mass abduction of worshippers from a church in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the incident was initially denied by the authorities before being confirmed following public outcry.

“The African Democratic Congress expresses grave concern over the attempt by the Kaduna State Government and the Nigeria Police Force to cover up the mass abduction of Nigerians in a church in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, an incident that was later confirmed by the same authorities after public outcry,” the statement said.

“This episode raises a fundamental and dangerous question for our country: can a government whose first instinct is to withhold information and hide the truth be trusted to protect lives and improve security?

“The deliberate denial of a verified mass abduction is not a communications error. It is the behaviour of a government obsessed with looking good rather than solving problems.

“In moments of violence and emergency, truth is the first line of defence. It guides response, enables rescue, mobilises communities, and reassures a frightened public.

“However, when a government chooses silence or falsehood, it compounds danger, delays action, and deepens trauma.” The ADC said a government that lies during a security crisis does not merely fail its people but actively places them at further risk.

“Credible reports that journalists, civil society actors, and independent observers were prevented from accessing affected communities make us wonder what exactly the government was attempting to hide.

“A government committed to solving problems in a time of crisis asks for information, not suppresses it.

“When official institutions dismiss verified accounts from families, community leaders, and religious bodies as falsehoods, they erode the very trust upon which effective security depends.” The party said the incident had exposed “serious contradictions” in what it described as the Kaduna peace approach.

“While the government moved swiftly to deny a major kidnapping in order to preserve a public image of peace and security, senior officials have openly acknowledged negotiations and concessions to bandits and criminal elements. This approach may grant immediate wins, but it is not sustainable; it is a dangerous gamble that rewards criminality while leaving law-abiding citizens vulnerable to further attacks,” it said.

The ADC also criticised the silence of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the abduction.

“This silence does not only suggest a lack of empathy; it indicates a government that is frustrated and has therefore chosen denial and silence. But silence by the Federal Government is not a strategy. It only reveals a government irritated that the public image it seeks to sell is being undermined by the reality of persistent insecurity in the country,” the statement said.

The party called for immediate and transparent rescue efforts for all abducted persons in Kurmin Wali and across Kaduna State, as well as an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the initial denial of the abduction.

“We further demand an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the initial denial of the abduction, including the role of all security and government officials involved in disseminating false information. All restrictions on journalists and civil society organisations seeking access to conflict-affected areas must be lifted without delay,” it said.

The ADC also urged the Kaduna State Government to fully disclose any agreements or negotiations entered into with armed groups, including their legal basis, terms and oversight mechanisms.

“No Nigerian should ever have to beg their government to acknowledge their suffering. No family should be forced to prove that their loved ones have been taken by violence before the state will act. The ADC stands with the people of Kaduna State and with all Nigerians who believe that leadership begins with honesty, that authority carries responsibility, and that the first duty of government is to protect life, dignity, and truth,” the statement added.

Nigeria, U.S. strengthen security partnership on religious freedom
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and restoring security nationwide s Nigeria and the United States deepen cooperation on religious freedom and civilian protection.

The assurance followed a plenary session of the Nigeria–United States Joint Working Group held yesterday at the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja, convened to address Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the engagement underscored the seriousness and continuity of Nigeria’s security partnership with the United States.

“This is the third high-level engagement with senior United States officials since November 2025. It shows that our partnership is active, serious, and focused on outcomes that matter to Nigerians,” he said.

Idris said the collaboration reflected a shared commitment to religious freedom and the protection of civilians, as well as a mature strategic relationship built on trust and shared responsibility.

The session was co-chaired by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker.

Hooker said the meeting focused on how both countries could work together to deter violence against Christian communities, prioritise counter-terrorism and insecurity, investigate attacks and hold perpetrators accountable, and reduce killings, forced displacements and abductions of Christians, particularly in the north-central states.

She said that although some progress had been recorded in recent months, recent incidents showed that Nigeria needed to do more to guarantee the safety of Christians and their right to practise their faith freely.

“On the protection of Christians, the Nigerian government recently secured the release of 38 Christians abducted from a church in Kwara State, and another 265 abducted from St Mary’s Catholic School. This real progress is a direct result of our engagement with the Nigerian government,” Hooker was quoted as saying.

“However, we are concerned about recent reports that gunmen kidnapped more than 170 Christians in Kaduna State on January 18. The Government of Nigeria must do more to protect Christians and their right to practise their faith freely and safely.”

Hooker said advancing religious freedom and security would help deepen US–Nigeria relations in other areas, including trade, economic cooperation, health response and the fight against terrorism. She added that the US would also support efforts to return internally displaced persons to their communities.

“We hope to identify ways to return internally displaced persons to the communities from which they were expelled in the north-central states, interdict weapons and funding going to terrorist groups, expand investigations, and ensure the prosecution of individuals and groups committing atrocities,” she said.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said cooperation between Nigeria and the United States had continued to yield operational gains, particularly through intelligence sharing and joint security efforts. He noted that Nigerian security agencies were working closely with US partners to strengthen ongoing operations, including Operation Hadin Kai in the North East and Operation Fasan Yamma.

He also disclosed that the United States had committed to the timely delivery of outstanding military equipment procured by Nigeria over the past five years, including drones, helicopters, platforms, spare parts and support systems, as well as the provision of surplus defence equipment.

According to Idris, the government wants Nigerians to be assured that the partnership is producing concrete results and will continue to strengthen national security.

On domestic security measures, he recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had declared national security emergencies in vulnerable and high-risk areas, approved intensified joint operations and ordered the sustained deployment of security forces to priority locations.

“Nigeria is acting decisively. Security agencies have clear instructions to protect communities and respond swiftly to threats,” he said. The Minister further revealed that the Federal Government was strengthening early-warning systems and developing a national database to provide accurate and verifiable data on deaths and casualties linked to violence.

“This will give us a single, trusted source of data to guide decisions, improve accountability, and sharpen our security response,” he said.
He added that justice remained a key pillar of the government’s security strategy, noting that terrorism-related cases were being actively investigated and prosecuted by relevant agencies.

“Violence will not only be met with force, but with justice and accountability,” he said. Idris urged Nigerians to remain patient and supportive as security reforms continue, stressing that current efforts are aimed at ensuring a safer country in the long term.
Trump says U.S. forces ‘annihilating’ terrorists killing Christians in Nigeria

Relatedly, President Donald Trump has claimed that United States forces are “annihilating” terrorists in Nigeria, whom he accused of killing Christians in large numbers.

“Many good things are happening,” Trump said. “In Nigeria, we are annihilating terrorists who are killing Christians. We’ve hit them very hard. They’ve killed thousands and thousands of Christians.”

The US president made the remarks yesterday at the Board of Peace signing ceremony held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he spoke about what he described as progress in global peace and security efforts.

Speaking at the ceremony, Trump stressed the importance of the newly unveiled initiative.

“What we’re doing is so important. This is something I really wanted to be here and do, and I could think of no better place,” he said. Trump also spoke at length about Gaza, insisting that the territory must be demilitarised and rebuilt.

“Gaza has to be demilitarised and rebuilt nicely,” he said, warning militant groups to disarm. “If Hamas doesn’t do what they promised, they must lay down arms, or it’ll end them. They grew up with rifles.”

He linked developments in the Middle East and Nigeria to the work of the Board of Peace, which he said was attracting growing international interest. On the composition of the new peace body, Trump said participation was expected to expand.

“Everybody wants to be on the Board of Peace. These are just the countries here now; loads more will join,” he said.