Suspected Islamic extremists on July 25 kidnapped 36 people from a predominantly Christian village outside the city of Kaduna, in northern Nigeria, Morning Star News reported.
The house-to-house abductions came after the June 28 kidnapping of 16 people from a nearby area in Kaduna state’s Chikun County.
Area resident Narin Barde said Muslim terrorists also attacked the Keke B Community area of Millennium City, Chikun County, shooting randomly and capturing 36 Christians.
“The Muslim terrorists attacked the community at about 9 p.m., shooting at the people, and broke into their houses and forcefully took away the victims to an unknown place,” Barde said in a text message to Morning Star News.
On June 28 suspected Islamic terrorists attacked predominantly Christian Sabon Gero village, kidnapping 16 people, area residents said in the Morning Star report.
Ongoing violence in Nigeria
Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith last year (Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021) at 4,650, up from 3,530 the previous year, according to Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch List report. The number of kidnapped Christians was also highest in Nigeria, at more than 2,500, up from 990 the previous year, according to the World Watch List report.
Nigeria trailed only China in the number of churches attacked, with 470 cases, the report raid.
In the 2022 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria jumped to seventh place, its highest ranking ever, from No. 9 the previous year.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was originally published by Morning Star News.
