Christians condemn latest Easter attacks in Nigeria

‘The situation has turned what should be a period of spiritual reflection and celebration into one overshadowed by fear, uncertainty and recurring violence.’

Roughly 20 Christians died in attacks on communities across northern Nigeria on Easter Sunday.

Suspected Fulani herdsmen killed nine Christians in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State, two others died in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State and another eight died in an abduction attack on a community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State. 

Security services later said they rescued 31 people abducted in the Kaduna attack, but officials of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) denied that any rescue had taken place.

The previous day, the Diocese of Sokoto issued a statement denying reports that its cathedral had been attacked, warning that such stories were being exploited to divide Nigerians.

Over the same weekend, the northern branch of the CAN condemned violence during holy seasons, noting recent attacks in Jos, Plateau State, and parts of Kaduna on Palm Sunday which it said left families bereaved and many residents displaced during preparations for Easter.

“The situation has turned what should be a period of spiritual reflection and celebration into one overshadowed by fear, uncertainty and recurring violence,” the statement said.

The CAN noted that the security challenges extended beyond Plateau, citing incidents in Benue, Borno, Niger and Taraba states where killings, abductions and displacement persist. It expressed concern at a recurring pattern of attacks during Christian holy seasons, questioning the effectiveness of security arrangements and the ability of authorities to protect citizens.

The group called on the federal government and security agencies to go beyond routine condemnations by adopting more sustained and strategic measures to end the cycle of violence and bring perpetrators to justice.  It also said it would encourage its members to practise self-defence.

It also urged religious, traditional and community leaders to intensify efforts toward promoting unity, tolerance and peaceful coexistence across the region. It reaffirmed its call for a northern Nigeria where citizens of all faiths can live, worship and celebrate freely without fear.

Bishop Matthew Hasan Kukah of Sokoto said Easter should sustain the Church in trials because “when we see all these dark clouds of fear and anxiety circling around us, it is time for Christians to stand erect”.

“This also means, as a nation and as Christians, we still need to do much, much, much more by taking the message of peace more seriously, difficult as it might be. It is the best and only antidote to the violence that is around us,” he told Vatican News on 4 April, while criticising the authorities’ failure to improve security.

“Nigerian soldiers tell us, ‘We can get this job done.’ But yet everyday lives are haemorrhaging,” he said.

“The danger now for us is that we could reach a point where we become totally dead to the sacredness of human life. So, it’s a tragedy. But you know, in Nigeria, the sad thing now is that tomorrow the numbers and atrocities will rise again and the day after and the day after.”

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