Armed gunmen stormed a Nigerian church during evening service, killing two worshippers and abducting a pastor while live-streaming captured the terror, as Christian leaders declare genocide against believers in the West African nation.
Terror Strikes During Evening Worship
Gunmen burst into Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, at approximately 6 pm during evening service. The attackers, armed with guns and machetes and some wearing face coverings, immediately opened fire on worshippers. Live-streaming footage captured children screaming as congregants scrambled for hiding spots while gunmen methodically searched the church, forcing terrified believers from their concealment before marching the pastor and others into the nearby bush at gunpoint.
https://twitter.com/ARISEtv/status/1991042615026782693
Death Toll and Police Response
Police confirmed finding two bodies after the attack: Mr. Aderemi inside the church and Mr. Tunde in the surrounding bush. A local vigilante, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot wounds and required hospitalization. Kwara State Police spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi confirmed officers and vigilantes responded swiftly to gunshots, but attackers escaped using remote footpaths. The community remains terrorized, uncertain how many people remain missing as search operations continue.
Escalating Pattern of Christian Persecution
This attack represents part of a broader assault on Nigerian Christians. According to Intersociety reports covering October 28 to November 11, at least 101 Christians, including four clerics, were killed, 114 abducted, and six churches ransacked. The Christian Association of Nigeria, led by Archbishop Daniel Okoh, formally declared Christians face genocide, describing communities “uprooted from ancestral lands, families torn apart, churches razed.” Recent massacres include over 100 killed in Yelewata village and 13 murdered in Plateau State, including five children.
https://twitter.com/opeyemi_bodunde/status/1990876968829460615
Trump Administration Takes Strong Stance
President Trump issued stark warnings to Nigeria’s government over Christian persecution, threatening to halt all American aid and potentially military intervention. Trump posted on social media: “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists.” Senator Ted Cruz introduced legislation sanctioning Nigerian officials who incite anti-Christian violence, while international figures, including Nicki Minaj, addressed the United Nations, demanding action.
Nigerian Government Disputes Genocide Claims
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejects targeted religious genocide allegations, claiming violence affects all communities equally. Nigerian officials argue attacks stem from banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and land disputes rather than religious persecution. However, church leaders and victims insist Christians face deliberate persecution for their faith. The violence particularly impacts Nigeria’s “Middle Belt” where Christian farming communities clash with Muslim Fulani herders, while Boko Haram and Islamic State-backed terrorists continue devastating northern regions.