Gunmen stormed a Baptist church during Sunday worship in northwestern Nigeria on July 7, opening fire on the congregation and killing two individuals, including the pastor.

According to The Christian Post, at least 80 Christians have been killed since May in a series of assaults across Nigeria’s Katsina and Plateau states, targeting churches and communities in a wave of extremist violence attributed to Islamic militants and Fulani herdsmen.

The attack occurred around 15 to 20 armed men descended upon Bege Baptist Church in Yaribori village, located in Kafur County, Katsina state. According to local accounts, the gunmen spoke with Fulani accents and opened fire during a worship service and Bible study led by the Rev. Emmanuel Na’allah Auta.

Both Rev. Auta and another church member, Mallam Samaila Gidan Taro, were killed during the assault. Witnesses said Gidan Taro was a well-known convert from Islam, a fact they believe made him a specific target.

Along with the killings, a woman in the congregation was abducted by the attackers and taken to an undisclosed location. “Another member, a lady, was also kidnapped and taken away to an unknown place,” said churchgoer Zakariya Jatau.

Ongoing attacks continue in Plateau State

As incidents unfolded in Katsina, broader violence continued to devastate villages throughout central Nigeria’s Plateau state, where Fulani herdsmen have carried out deadly attacks on Christian communities. In late June, 20 Christians were killed during a single assault in one area of the state.

In Mangu County, armed herdsmen struck multiple villages. On June 27, two Christians were killed in Gyambwas, Langai District, and nearly 100 homes were burned. One local, Esther Luka, described how her friend’s father, Rose Dapus, was murdered while working on his farm that day.

Luka said Dapus had dismissed his hired laborers for the day and stayed behind with his son to complete some tasks. That was when attackers struck. His son managed to escape, but Dapus was shot and killed.

Homes and churches left in ruins

More violence followed throughout the month. On June 19, three Christians were killed and over 20 homes torched in Manja village. Plateau State lawmaker Mathew Kwarpo confirmed the incident, saying the victims were working on their farmland at the time of the attack.

In another event just a day earlier, on June 18, eight people were killed in Chicim village. “The armed herdsmen invaded the community, which is only one mile from Mangu town, and started shooting Christian villagers they sighted,” reported resident Jeremy Nyuwa.

The violence escalated further on June 10, when seven people were killed in Bwai village in yet another coordinated assault, according to Nyuwa. The victims were reportedly ambushed late in the evening by roaming gunmen.

Bokkos County suffers repeated strikes

Bokkos County has recorded one of the highest concentrations of violence in recent months. Officials state that 13 villages in the area, mostly Christian, have been attacked by Fulani militants alongside Islamic extremists since May.

The attacks have left at least 80 people dead and countless homes destroyed. On June 29, three villages—Tulus, Hokk, and Juwan—were raided. In Hokk, a local pastor’s home was burned to the ground.

Earlier that month, at least 10 other communities in Bokkos were assaulted similarly. Chairman of the Bokkos Local Government Council, Amalau Samuel, described how gunmen arrived late at night and targeted homes, even breaking in through ceilings when residents couldn’t flee.

Communities fear extremist entrenchment

Residents say the violence is part of an effort by extremists to take over land and impose religious control. Terrorist camps have reportedly been established in nearby areas such as Daffo, Mbar, Tangur, Pyakmallu, Butura, and Kwatas.

Military officials have been informed, and forces have been deployed in hopes of stemming the violence. So far, however, the onslaught has continued despite security efforts.

The United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief issued a report warning that some Fulani factions are mimicking Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), specifically targeting Christian settlements and places of worship.

Nigeria among the world’s deadliest for Christians

Religious advocates say the motives behind the violence stem from both ideological and environmental factors, including desertification and land scarcity. Leaders of Nigeria's Christian communities believe the attacks are coordinated campaigns to displace them and enforce Islamic dominance in the region.

Nigeria remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians. The Open Doors 2025 World Watch List reports that more than 3,100 of the world’s 4,476 Christian martyrdoms in the past year occurred in Nigeria alone.

The rise of groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and a newer faction called Lakurawa has intensified religious persecution. Lakurawa operates in the northwest and is aligned with Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-linked insurgency based in Mali.