As 2026 begins, the violence in Nigeria rages on. Militants have reportedly killed at least 58 people in Christian communities across northeastern and northcentral Nigeria since Christmas, according to Baptist Press and international reports.
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Deadly attacks — reported Dec. 29 and Jan. 3 — struck villages in Adamawa and Niger states. Dozens also were injured, and several people are believed to have been kidnapped. Among them are students from a Catholic boarding school.
The Jan. 3 violence, according to Nigerian officials, may be linked to militants fleeing U.S. airstrikes launched Christmas Eve against Islamic terrorist targets in northwest Nigeria. The full damage of those strikes reportedly remains unclear. In Adamawa, Islamic militants killed 14 people in predominantly Christian villages, while a separate Christmas Eve church attack in Niger claimed the lives of a fleeing Christian couple, Open Doors reported.
Deadly country for Christians
Open Doors ranks Nigeria as the world’s deadliest country for Christians. More than 3,100 have been killed in the past year amid ongoing attacks by extremist groups targeting Christians and moderate Muslims.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This report is a summary of a story written by Diana Chandler and originally published by Baptist Press.
