139 clerics and worshipers killed, 394 kidnapped in 18 months – Reports

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By Solomon Odeniyi, Deborah Tolu-Kolawole, Nathaniel Shaibu, Lilian Ukagwu, Gift Habib and Damilola Aina

July 5, 2022

At least 139 clerics and worshipers were killed in various attacks across the country between January 1, 2021 and July 4, 2022.

Furthermore, no fewer than 394 religious worshipers were kidnapped during the period under review.

Figures were collated from media reports of targeted attacks on churches and mosques.

A breakdown of the incidents showed that 53 Islamic clerics and worshipers were killed and 165 abducted while 229 Christians were abducted and 86 were murdered.

Key attacks include the killing of a Catholic priest and three parishioners in Benue on March 30, 2021.

On April 13, a pastor was killed in a church in Abuja, while bandits allegedly murdered one person and abducted four others in an attack on a church on April 25.

Gunmen also abducted eight members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Kaduna on March 26.

In addition, suspected bandits abducted 50 Muslims during a Maulud procession in Katsina on March 11.

On May 10, armed men stormed a mosque in Katsina and reportedly abducted 40 worshippers. In September, one person was killed and three parishioners were abducted from a church in Kogi.

In addition, armed thugs also allegedly shot dead 17 people and abducted 18 others from a mosque in Niger State on October 25.

Similarly, bandits allegedly attacked a mosque in Kaduna where they allegedly abducted 24 people on March 10, 2022.

A police inspector and two other people were abducted from a mosque in Ogun on April 3.

On June 4, armed herdsmen beat Abia, abducted a pastor and his wife and also stabbed another person while 40 people were reportedly killed in the attack on St. Xavier Francis from Owo, Ondo State in June. 6.

Furthermore, on June 19, gunmen reportedly attacked Catholic and Baptist churches, killed four people and abducted 44 people, while 21 Muslim pilgrims were kidnapped in Sokoto on June 22.

In the latest attacks, gunmen abducted two Catholic priests in Edo on July 3, while on July 4 suspected bandits abducted another Catholic priest in Kaduna.

Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society's Head of Mission, Onike Abdul-Azeez instructed the government to protect worship centers and also advised religious worshipers to be responsible for their security by deploying security cameras, metal detectors and other security measures.

Sheikh Nuru Khalid, former Imam of the Apo Legislative Mosque in Abuja, said the attacks on worship centers indicated that no place was safe in the country.

“According to the scriptures, people fleeing war saw worship centers as a place of refuge. If Nigeria now has several places of worship under attack, then we are all at risk,” he noted.

In his reaction, the spokesperson for the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, said: "The church is helpless and prays only to God that whoever succeeds the president Buhari does not continue what he is doing and that is the more reason why we are against the Muslim-Muslim ticket; they are in charge of security and political thugs.”

Security expert Mike Ejiofor said the target on clergy was unfortunate, especially since the motive was either to generate money or induce the members of religious groups against the government, and to gain global relevance.

He called on the government not only to fund security agencies, but also to monitor and ensure they are capable of providing security.

Speaking in the same tone, Mr. Patrick Agbambu said that citizens and organizations were responsible for their own security and safety, while the security provided by government agencies was secondary.< /p>