Terrorists attacked a church service in northwestern Nigeria on Sunday (Jan. 15), shot and wounded the pastor and kidnapped 25 congregation members, Morning Star News reported.
The assailants stormed into the morning worship service of New Life for All Church in Katsina state’s Dantsauri village, a police spokesman said.
Of the 25 church members who were kidnapped, nine of them soon escaped, Morning Star News reported. The pastor received treatment at a local hospital, Kankara, authorities said.
New report, ongoing violence
Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith in 2022, with 5,014, according to Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List report. It also led the world in Christians abducted (4,726), sexually assaulted or harassed, forcibly married or physically or mentally abused, and it also had the most homes and businesses attacked for faith-based reasons. As in the previous year, Nigeria had the second most church attacks and internally displaced people.
In the 2023 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria jumped to sixth place, its highest ranking ever, from No. 7 the previous year.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written and originally published by Morning Star News.
