3,083 Christians killed, 3,193 abducted in eight months – InterSociety

According to the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, or InterSociety, a staggering 3,083 Christians were killed and 3,193 abducted across Nigeria between January and August 2026. The report, released in Enugu on Sunday, also revealed that at least 19,800 churches had been attacked or destroyed during this period, spanning from July 2009 to August 2026.

Lead researcher Emeka Umeagbalasi, along with co-authors Chidinma Evangeline Udegbunam and Obianuju Joy Igboeli, compiled these figures from various sources, including eyewitness accounts.

The majority of the attacks were attributed to jihadist Fulani herdsmen and bandits, accounting for approximately 90% of the incidents. In August alone, 138 Christians were killed and 180 abducted, with a significant number of the attacks occurring in Plateau and Benue states. The report highlighted that about 70% of the Christians abducted in August were Igbo travelers using major interstate roads, particularly towards Lagos and Abuja.

The organization also reported that 120 of the 180 Christians abducted in August were likely to be Igbo, including a 10-month-old baby and six other individuals abducted at Ndegwu in Imo State. Furthermore, the attacks had devastating effects on Christian places of worship, with 230 churches in Taraba State destroyed between September 2025 and August 2026. Over 100,000 Catholic parishioners were reportedly displaced, and more than 200 Christian villages were sacked, forcing residents to flee their homes.

InterSociety's findings suggest that the Catholic dioceses of Wukari and Jalingo were particularly affected, with 16 priests forced to abandon their pastoral duties and eight parish houses destroyed. Additionally, the Universal Reformed Christian Church, NKST, reported losing 5,987 members and 753 churches to attacks by armed Fulani groups in Benue State.

The Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, EYN, also suffered significant losses, with more than 8,600 members and numerous worship centers destroyed by Boko Haram attacks in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, and Taraba states. The group estimated that the death toll from jihadist violence among EYN members had risen to around 21,000, based on their definition of jihadist attacks by Islamic extremist organizations.