The violence against Christian communities in Nigeria has once again claimed dozens of lives. At least 30 people, including eight children, died during the night of July 27-28 in an armed attack on the village of Naridon, in the Kauru district, south of Kaduna State. Several people were injured and numerous homes and businesses were set on fire.
According to initial testimonies collected in the area, the attackers burst in at dawn and opened fire indiscriminately on the residents while they slept. Among the victims were entire families, and survivors recount that the assault lasted for several hours.
Bishops demand greater protection for Christians
The massacre comes at a time of growing concern from the Church over the deterioration of security in Nigeria. On July 28, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu received members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in Abuja, who conveyed their concern about the situation facing Christian communities and called for more effective measures to protect the population.
On behalf of the episcopate, the president of the CBCN and Archbishop of Kaduna, Monsignor Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, expressed to the president the concern of many faithful about their situation in the country.
«Mr. President, this is a moment when many Christians have legitimate concerns about their role in Nigeria, especially regarding the abandonment of the balance between Christian and Muslim presidency, and we hope that through specific government policies, these concerns will be addressed and that Christians will receive guarantees about their rights as citizens,» he stated.
The bishops also warned that terrorism, banditry, and kidnappings continue to threaten the population. Although they acknowledged some progress in the fight against these crimes, they denounced that schools, churches, homes, agricultural operations, and roads remain unsafe in large areas of the country.
They also called on the government to guarantee that the 2027 general elections will be free, fair, and transparent, warning that elections without credibility would represent «an invitation to an avoidable disaster.»
Doubts persist about the perpetrators
Nigerian authorities have not yet officially attributed the massacre to any armed group.
However, various international Christian organizations point to the possible involvement of Islamist militias of Fulani ethnicity, which have been implicated for years in numerous attacks against Christian communities in the center and north of the country. This hypothesis coincides with the testimonies of several Naridon residents, who claim to have recognized members of these groups among the attackers.
Tinubu condemns the massacre
After the massacre became known, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned the attack and ordered the Armed Forces, Police, and intelligence services to locate those responsible and restore security in the area.
Kaduna State authorities also expressed their condolences to the victims’ families and announced a reinforcement of security operations.
A tragedy that repeats itself
The Naridon massacre constitutes a new episode of the violence that has been striking Christian communities in the so-called «Middle Belt» for years, a region where Islamist terrorism, land conflicts, and the actions of armed groups converge.
Among the bloodiest episodes are the massacres perpetrated during Christmas 2023 in Plateau State, which left nearly 200 dead.
Despite repeated denunciations from the Church and promises from authorities to strengthen security, attacks against the civilian population continue to claim the lives of dozens of people, including numerous children, while thousands of Christians continue to live under the constant threat of a new massacre.