86 Christians, 53 Muslims killed between January 2021 and July 2022
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
At least 86 Christians were murdered and 229 kidnapped across the country between 1 January 2021 and 4 July 2022, a period of 18 months which also saw 53 Muslim clerics and worshipers killed and 165 abducted.
That makes a total 139 worshippers murdered and 394 abducted by terrorists mostly motivated by ransom money even though some kill for religious or political reasons.
The figures were collated by The PUNCH from media reports of attacks on churches and mosques.
Attacks in 2021
The attacks in 2021 included
11 March – 50 Muslims on a Maulud procession were kidnapped in Katsina.
26 March – eight members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) were kidnapped in Kaduna.
30 March – a Catholic Priest and three parishioners were killed in Benue.
13 April – a Pastor was killed in a church in Abuja.
25 April – one person was murder and four others were abducted during an attack on another church in Abuja.
10 May – 40 worshippers were abducted from a mosque in Katsina.
September – one person was killed and three others were abducted from a Church in Kogi.
25 October – 17 people were shot dead and 18 kidnapped from a mosque in Niger.
Attacks in 2022
The attacks in 2022 included
10 March – 24 people were abducted from mosque in Kaduna.
3 April – a police inspector and two others were kidnapped from a mosque in Ogun.
4 June – one person was stabbed and a pastor and his wife were kidnapped in Abia.
6 June – 40 were killed at St Xavier Francis Catholic Church Owo, Ondo State.
19 June – four people were killed and another 44 kidnapped from Catholic and Baptist churches in Sokoto.
22 June – 21 Muslim pilgrims were kidnapped in Sokoto.
3 July – two Catholic Priests were abducted in Edo.
4 July – a Catholic Priest was abducted in Kaduna.
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Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society Chief Missioner Onike Abdul-Azeez urged the government to protect worship centres and also advised the religious faithful to ensure their own security by deploying security cameras, metal detectors, and other security measures.
Others also spoke on the attacks, as below:
Nuru Khalid (former Imam of Apo Legislative Mosque, Abuja)
“The attacks on worship centres show that nowhere is safe in the country.
“According to the scriptures, people who run from war saw worship centres as a place of refuge. If Nigeria now has the various places of worship being attacked, then we are all in danger.”
Adebayo Oladeji (Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) spokesman)
“The church is helpless, and only praying to God that whoever succeeds President Buhari will 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 the security and political thugs.”
Mike Ejiofor (security expert)
“The target on clergymen is unfortunate. The motive is to generate money or incite members of religious groups against the government and gain global notoriety.
“The should government fund the security agencies and also monitor and ensure they actually provide security.”