31 Christians killed in Nigeria, including eleven children and a Catholic priest

CWR-Yaounde: A devastating wave of violence has once again shattered communities across Nigeria’s Middle Belt, claiming the lives of at least 31 Christians in separate, brutal attacks.

In the latest large-scale massacre, 30 Christians, including 11 children, were slaughtered just before midnight on Sunday, July 26, when suspected Fulani militants stormed the village of Naridon in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

Eleven children among those murdered

Local media reported that 30 people were killed in the attack, including 21 Catholics and nine members of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA). An unspecified number was abducted.

The fatalities included nine men, ten women, and eleven children. Additionally, seven others—four children, two women, and one man—sustained injuries. With several individuals still unaccounted for, the death toll is expected to rise.

Residents say the attackers were moving from house to house to carry out the slaughter.

Jacob Nera, a former councilor in the area, has accused the security forces of complicity in the massacre, claiming that the Nigerian Army ‘refused to come on time’.

27 of the victims were buried in a mass grave on Saturday. Three others had earlier been buried. In the requiem mass, the Bishop of Kafanchan Diocese, Most Reverend Julius Yakubu Kundi, blasted the government for failing to rescue the people in their time of need.

Addressing the grieving families, as well as Catholic priests, traditional leaders, community members, and sympathizers who came to pay their last respects to the victims, Bishop Kundi said the victims died needlessly, saying that those charged with the responsibility of protecting lives and property had failed them.

The cleric decided to line up the coffins during the funeral, explaining that it was intended to act as a painful reminder of the consequences of insecurity.

“I deliberately asked for the coffins to be lined up like this, so it will be evidence for us and all of Nigeria that we failed to protect them. They should not have died now,” the bishop said.

According to John Samuels, a legal expert working for UK Charity, Open Doors, “People are being killed without any resistance in their homes where they expect to be safe, and businesses and farmlands where they work to provide for their families are repeatedly destroyed.”

“That these attacks are allowed to happen over and over again is totally unacceptable. We continue to call upon the Nigerian government and its security agencies to take decisive action in fulfilling their constitutional responsibility to protect all citizens,” the UK Charity cites the expert as saying.

“The international community should not allow the Nigerian government the luxury of inaction.”

Devastating and intolerable violence

Hours prior to Sunday’s massacre, in a neighboring Kogi State, the Catholic Diocese of Lokoja was plunged into mourning following the stabbing to death of Rev. Fr. Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro by unknown attackers.

In a statement Saturday, the Diocese expressed “deep sorrow” at the demise of the priest.

“With deep sorrow and but with firm faith in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Social Communications department of the Diocese of Lokoja announces the passing onto eternal glory of Rev. Fr. Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro, who departed this life on Wednesday 29th of July, after a life of devoted priestly service to God and his Church,” the statement reads.

“We commend our beloved priest to the infinite mercy of God, giving thanks for his faithful ministry, sacrificial love and unwavering dedication to the people of God,” says the statement, published on the official Facebook page of the diocese.

In a tribute to the late priest, Rev. Fr. Bello Adavize Martin of Lokoja Diocese reflects on the certainty of death for all men, but notes that very often, no one expects it to come as suddenly and as violently as that which was visited upon Fr. Oyetoro. Yet, his death is a reminder to all that death will ultimately come, anytime, anyhow.

“In my sorrow for my diocesan brother, Late Rev. Fr. Samuel OYETORO, I find myself praying not only for the repose of his soul, but for the grace to live with greater vigilance and greater trust. His death is a reminder to me that none of us is promised tomorrow. It calls me to a more generous love, a readier forgiveness, a more faithful service, a readiness at any time when the Lord shall call.”

In a stark reversal of opinion, U.S. Presidential Adviser Massad Boulos has admitted that the violence he now describes as “intolerable” is also aimed at Christians.

In a statement released on X, Mr. Boulos, who had earlier dismissed reports of religious persecution, said that the “ongoing violence against Christian communities and other vulnerable populations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt is intolerable.”

“The United States remains committed to partnering with Nigeria to combat terrorism and violent extremism and to ensure that all Nigerians can live and worship freely, without fear of persecution or violence,” he wrote.

Catholic bishops, violence, and the 2027 general elections

In the face of worsening insecurity and as the country gears for a presidential election next year, Catholic Bishops in Nigeria are urging President Bola Tinubu to not only do more to tackle insecurity but to ensure that the 2027 elections are free, fair, and credible.

Framing the idea of a free, fair and credible election as President Tinubu’s legacy to keep, the clerics urged the president to encourage elected political officeholders who are members of his party, governors, members of the National Assembly, and the local government chairman to ensure that “a genuine level playing field is maintained, and that focus is placed on making everyone see that the rules and processes are fair to all and respected by all.”

“As a man who risked so much in the struggle for the return of democratic rule in the dark days of military dictatorship, your greatest legacy would be the strengthening of our democratic institutions,” the bishops said.

“It is our hope that you be on the forefront in demanding that the independent national electoral commission delivers credible elections to ensure that Nigeria is set on the path of national development and integrity.

“This ought to start with making voters cast easily available to all eligible voters and end with election results that reflect the true choice of Nigerians,” the cleric said.

The call for electoral transparency comes amid concerns by some political actors that the elections could be rigged, and that opponents of the President could be harmed physically.

Peter Obi, one of the contenders for the presidency, recently claimed that he may not even be alive to contest the election, suggesting that the government might try to kill him-a scenario that could further exacerbate the already fragile security situation in the country.

President Bola Tinubu told the bishops that he inherited a bad security situation and that he was doing something about it.

“I have not run from the crisis I inherited; I confront it head-on. And to answer directly: yes, we are taking decisive action. We are deploying the necessary resources to properly equip our troops, build new barracks, establish security outposts, and eradicate terrorism,” he said.

“I expect that as we make progress, it will become a theme of your sermons. Defeating this menace is not the government’s job alone; we must fight terrorism together. It is our profound duty to our nation and our people,” the President told the bishops.

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