Nmadu says from our standpoint as Christians, genocidal offenses are being committed; but regardless of how the UN or other international organizations choose to label the situation: 

“We can safely say that Christians are being killed in mass with the intention to coerce, to make Christians change their religious conduct,” he affirms. “Freedom of religion, or belief, is being hampered in many parts of Northern Nigeria.”

With land comes economic and political power, and the battle for control sweeps through a complex territory of cultural, political, and religious landscapes. 

Nmadu says he does not believe the present government is aiding the killing of Christians. But the administration’s refusal to take swift action, even in the form of strong rhetoric, reveals a trend towards political correctness. 

“In trying to be politically correct, they become complacent,” he says. “The government – not just this government, even past governments – have not done enough to protect lives of Christians in communities.”

The killings and abductions of thousands of Nigerians have been documented over the last few years. But Nmadu says small numbers aren’t even accounted for in those reports. 

“The evil is just unimaginable, and for a government to come out and deny that there is [any] such thing happening in the country shows their level of responsiveness in protecting lives and property, which is the number one duty of any government in the world,” he says. 

In particular, he believes the government of Nigeria must track down terrorists and hold them accountable to justice. He also thinks the administration needs to address the blasphemy laws being implemented in some Nigerian states by Muslims trying to enforce Sharia law. 

“When we say government is not doing enough, it is allowing the culture of impunity to prevail in the country,” he says. “People are emboldened to commit more atrocities because when one is committed, nothing is done.” 

Nmadu is hopeful that a surge of international interest will be a catalyst for change in Nigeria. 

President Trump has declared Nigeria a country of particular concern and has even threatened to send US troops to the country if measures to stop the genocide are not taken. It’s a move that Nmadu says has pricked the ears of government officials in his home country. 

“And if this is the only thing that this has done, I think it’s a welcome idea,” he says.

Above and featured photos courtesy of Unsplash

Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley connected with a partner whose daughter was among the original 315 people abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Secondary School in Niger state. She was also among the 50 students who escaped to safety over the weekend, praise God. 

But other news is surfacing that makes this kidnapping even more grim.

Fulani man in Nigeria. Courtesy of Pixabay.

“What we’re hearing now is it’s not so much about ransom. It’s purely about these people, and they’re Fulani bandits,” says Kelley. “It’s about them viewing this school as a soft target, them taking these girls, forcibly converting them to Islam, and then taking them on as their wives.” 

The abduction on Friday was Nigeria’s worst since the 2014 Boko Haram kidnapping of 276 Christian and Muslim schoolgirls. Dozens of those women remain missing today. 

In the aftermath of the 2014 Chibok school kidnapping, Kelley says, “I had met families who told me there were five parents — either a mother or a father — that they knew directly who died of a heart attack over the grief of it.”

Pray for God’s mercy and comfort for these families as they hope and wait. Pray for faithful endurance and miraculous deliverance of the boys, girls, and adult staff of the school. 

Gospel ministry is urgent

In the spiritual battleground of northern Nigeria, Unknown Nations’ partners continue to seek opportunities to share the good news of Christ — even today.

Nigerian children. (Photo courtesy of Victor Nnakwe/Unsplash)

“Our missionaries are working in these areas, and so it puts them in harm’s way. It puts their villages in harm’s way. A lot of times, people are scattering out of these areas. And what it does is it perpetuates the state of fear,” says Kelley. 

“There’s 100 million people who live in northern Nigeria, so it’s a massive concentration of population. Every single family now is going to be thinking twice about, ‘Do I send my child to school?’” 

Nigeria has a large Christian population in the south, but little momentum for gospel mission, says Kelley. 

“We need the church in the south to come to a place of desperation and brokenness where it’s finally mobilizing itself and sending missionaries into the north,” Kelley says. “Let’s remember, they don’t need a visa, they don’t need even a passport. They just need to get in a vehicle and drive north, and they have [an] abundance of resources to do it.” 

Ask God to stir up a greater passion for the Great Commission among believers in southern Nigeria, that they may find their place in gospel ministry to the north. 

Header photo of Nigerian church courtesy of Tosin Superson via Pexels.

“We’re hearing stories of people who were farming 100 acres, but now they’re only farming five acres, because [of] the Fulani. Their objective is to run these farmers out,” said Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations. 

Clashes between herdsmen and farmers have been happening in Nigeria since 2011. According to the World Food Programme, today nearly 5 million people in northeast Nigeria face acute food insecurity due to conflict. 

“The big issue that’s happening right now is the movement. For so much of the conflict, whether it was Boko Haram or the Fulani herdsmen, it was really concentrated in the northern part of Nigeria, north of the capital, Abuja,” said Kelley.

But the attacks have spread from the north into Central Nigeria’s breadbasket. Benue State and Plateau State have been hard hit.

Listening to audio Bible (Photo courtesy of Unknown Nations)

“The Fulani herdsmen, they have the cows, and they’ll run them through these areas and trash the farmers’ lands, which ultimately disrupts the food [harvest],” Kelley said.  

“It’s not only the people that are dying immediately in the short term from the attacks, but the long-term instability is just threatening the entirety of this country.”

A Fulani attack on July 14th killed at least 32 people in a predominantly Christian farming village in Plateau State. 

“We’re moving into the second decade of these atrocities happening, and they’re really being overlooked [by the] authorities,” said Kelley. “No one is being held accountable.” 

Please pray for discipleship efforts that will reach northern Nigeria for Christ. 

“We need to continue to multiply leaders. We need to continue to get resources [there] like our solar-powered audio Bible. There’s obviously a humanitarian crisis that is underlying this whole situation [too],” said Kelley.

“But ultimately, when we’re praying, we need to pray for disciple-making movements to take place.”

Header photo of herdsman courtesy of Unknown Nations. 

Christian communities continue to suffer raids, sexual violence, killings at roadblocks, and kidnappings. Recent victims include two teenagers and a nine-month-old baby.

Jihadist groups like Boko Haram, Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), and Lakurawa also pose an ongoing threat.

“In the void of ethical leadership, there’s always going to be these bad actors that try to swoop in and gain access to the resources,” Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley says.

“Then you’ve got the agenda of Islam, which is to take over the entirety of that country.”

Believers aren’t the only ones who suffer. Fulani herdsmen, although Islamist, also attack properties owned by Muslims.

“It’s not like every Muslim in Nigeria is applauding what’s going on. They’re just as dissatisfied and frustrated as the Christians are, but it opens their heart,” Kelley says.

“Their worldview is challenged, and they’re open to the Gospel.”

The Fulani were among Nigeria’s first converts to Islam, and this religious system is central to their identity. Yet hope remains for this people group. “We’re seeing God move in very unique ways,” Kelley says.

“He’s saving people who come from these aggressors and using them as missionaries. There are 300 Fulani leaders that are going to be trained in the next few weeks.”

Ask the Lord to put His words into the mouths of Fulani Gospel workers.

“The most passionate and enthusiastic laborers are coming out of the three largest Muslim people groups,” Kelley says.

“When you’ve come out of that darkness, you understand the significance of it (salvation) way more than someone who came from a majority [Christian] people group.”

Header image is an AI-generated photo depicting Fulani herdsmen created using GenCraft.

Less than three weeks after over 200 Christians were massacred in Yelwata village, Benue State, four more were killed in the same area. In nearby Plateau State, six Christians were slain last week in Riyom County — part of 64 killings in recent weeks. Beyond the physical destruction, vast hectares of farmland have been lost and many homes burned.

Greg Musselman from Voice of the Martyrs Canada says, “The sad part about this is that the security forces don’t seem to have either the will, the manpower, the know-how — whatever it is — to be able to stop these attacks.”

People praying in Nigerian church (representative photo courtesy of David Iloba via Pexels)

More than six extremist ideology groups, despite their differences, are joining forces and recruiting more fighters. Among them are Boko Haram, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), the broader Islamic State network, the Taliban, Fulani herdsmen, and Lacurawa.

“These Islamic groups seem to feel that they can just attack the Christians and not much is going to happen to them,” says Musselman.

The geography of violence is also shifting — spreading from northern to southern Nigeria. Many Christians flee their homes, but some are still pursued, as seen in recent attacks in Benue and Plateau states.

Musselman explains: “You’ve got families already grieving. They’ve lost their loved ones, and now they know there’s really no safe place to go — and these militias are determined to rid these areas of Christians.” Their goal is to spread fear, demoralize the church and many Christians, and force them to flee.

Some believers accept the risk of martyrdom and remain in their homes.

Musselman adds, “And they’re saying, ‘Well, you know, if we die, we die…’ And others, they’re overwhelmed by the fact that they could be killed.”

The despair is real, but so is the response. The Church, both locally and globally, is rising to pray and act. Voice of the Martyrs Canada is helping raise awareness and provide support for Nigerian Christians.

Pray that Nigerian Christians will have the freedom to believe in Christ in their own homeland!

Header photo: Nigerian church (courtesy of Tosin Superson via Pexels).

When Boko Haram came on the scene in 2009, they were the biggest threat to Nigerian Christians. Since then, Fulani herdsmen, the Islamic State, and now the Lakurawa have risen against believers.

“There is a force trying to take over in this place and silence Christianity, which we believe, as the Lord lives, that’s not going to happen,” says TWR’s Joshua Irondi about why there is so much opposition to the Gospel.

TWR’s broadcast ministry blankets the country with hope. More about that here.

(Photo courtesy of TWR via Facebook)

On-the-ground teams disciple men and youth, while TWR’s Women of Hope program reaches moms, grandmothers, and young women.

“These discipleship programs, especially ‘Every Man A Warrior,’ are helping men to stand strong in the faith and understand that, in spite of the persecution, they still stand for the Lord. It’s expected of them,” Irondi says.

Believers also distribute helpful resources to ministry partners. “We partner with churches and Christian organizations in different parts of the nation. They use these materials in their locality to minister to souls and to win them,” Irondi says.

“We keep sending materials, and these people use them, in spite of the risks involved, to spread the Gospel within the different locations in the country.”

TWR recently took the “Every Man A Warrior” discipleship program to a local prison. After the team was introduced, an inmate approached them.

“He said if he had come in contact with this program earlier in his life, he wouldn’t have been in prison today,” Irondi says.

“We see God moving, touching the hearts of these people, giving their lives to Jesus.”

Help God’s message of hope and comfort remain on West Africa’s airwaves.

“Pray for peace in our nation,” Irondi requests.

“Pray that God will continue to promote the Gospel [and] provide resources to move this work to places we have not reached yet.”

Header and story images courtesy of TWR. 

Joshua Irondi with Trans World Radio says, “We have heard stories of people killed in their farmlands, and then many people have run away and stopped farming for fear of being murdered or molested.”

Fulani Islamists increasingly target Christian farmers because the Fulani want more land for their livestock. The Nigerian government does nothing to oppose the violent campaign. Instead, believers driven out of their homes are pushed aside.

“Some people who do not have places to go are moved into IDP camps provided by the government,” Irondi says.

Despair comes quickly in a displacement camp. Believers have lost their homes and livelihoods and have no easy answer to the question, “What’s next?” This is where TWR comes in.

Nearly all Christians in northeastern Nigeria have lost family members in attacks by Boko Haram or Fulani Islamic militants.
(Photo courtesy of VOM USA)

“Ours is to minister hope to the people, hope in Christ Jesus. We have groups that go to IDP camps with our media content,” Irondi says.

“People keep hearing the Word of God, and we have [received] testimonies. People are giving their life to Christ.”

Praise the Lord for sending messengers with His hope to people in despair. Pray Nigeria’s government will take action against the extremists.

“The Bible says the hearts of kings are in the hands of God, and He turns them around the way He pleases. We need prayers for God to touch the hearts of men in leadership so that the people in leadership will be serious [about] protecting the lives of Christians,” Irondi says.

Pray also for Fulani Islamists. Pray they will encounter the Gospel truth, and pray the Holy Spirit will soften their hearts to receive Christ as Savior.

“These men perpetuate this evil; if they understand who Jesus is and the love of Jesus, they will change their ways,” Irondi says.

Header image is a representative stock photo created using artificial intelligence/GenCraft.

The decision follows top-level instructions to Nigeria’s army to either kill or remove Lakurawa radicals from Nigerian territory.

“This is a great concern for the Nigerian government. They’re already trying to fight off the Boko Haram, Fulani herdsman, [and] ISIS West Africa,” Greg Musselman with Voice of the Martyrs Canada says.

“The government has already been accused of not doing enough, and now you[’ve] got another group [to battle.]”

The ‘terrorist’ designation allows Nigerian forces to arrest suspects, freeze assets, and dismantle Lakurawa’s networks. However, questions remain about whether these measures address the conditions that enable the group to flourish.

(Photo courtesy of VOA via Voice of the Martyrs Canada)

“A lot of these terrorist groups feed on the fact that many of these young men don’t have jobs,” Musselman says.

“They’re poor, and [then they see] here’s an opportunity to join this group, cause all sorts of havoc in the name of Islam, and use it to get material gain.”

Meanwhile, religious minorities suffer.

“You’ve got these competing Islamic groups with their version of Sharia law. They’ll go against each other [and] there’s all this violence breaking out, and the innocent people are often getting caught into it,” Musselman says.

Ask the Lord to protect and strengthen believers in northern Nigeria. Consider providing practical help and biblical counseling through VOM Canada here.

“When you look at what has gone on in Nigeria, you see amazing, brave followers of Christ. But you also see the devastation and pain are real,” Musselman says.

“You’ve got so much violence and so much death and destruction. The only hope is Jesus.”

Header photo created using AI/GenCraft.

The events-based list aggregates data drawn from the Violent Incidents Database—an index documenting physical and non-physical religiously motivated violent incidents from November 2022 to November 2024.

“The two years of reporting from Red List truly reveals where Christian communities face the gravest threats and help us direct life-saving support where it’s needed most,” Brian Orme, acting chief executive of Global Christian Relief, said in a press release.

The persecution of Christians has grown across the globe since 2014, driven by the rising influence of Islamic extremism, growing Hindu nationalism, resurgent authoritarian regimes, government corruption, and the misuse of more sophisticated technology.

India saw the most destruction of Christian property between 2022 and 2024, while China topped the Red List for arrests and sentencing. Over 9,800 believers died in Nigeria during the reporting period.

“Nigeria has been on our radar for almost 20 years,” Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley says.

“More people are killed for their faith in Christ in Nigeria than the rest of the world combined.”

Islamic extremist groups target isolated villages throughout the country. “Boko Haram is a radical Islamic group in the vein of ISIS, al Qaeda, and al Shabaab that wants to take over the north. So, it (persecution) starts with Boko Haram, but then you also have the Fulani, who are one of the largest Muslim people groups in all of Africa,” Kelley says.

“They’re pushing their cattle from place to place, and [when] the Fulani come into these farmlands for grazing, there becomes a violent sort of interaction between the farmers and the Fulani herdsmen. Many times, the farmers are Christian.”

Audio Bibles bring the Gospel to people from oral cultures.
(Photo courtesy of Unknown Nations)

Despite government assurances that they will defeat the radical groups, violence continues to escalate. Nigeria also tops the Red List for abductions and ransom demands.

“Leaders want to be able to go into a Muslim community and share the Gospel without the threat of being kidnapped,” Kelley says.

Pray for an end to the violence in Nigeria. Ask the Lord to strengthen and sustain Gospel workers.

“We just ask for people to be praying for us to be able to send more solar-powered audio Bibles in the various languages so that people can hear about Jesus for the first time,” Kelley says.

Header image courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs USA.

According to Darrel Templeton of MegaVoice, the unrest has disrupted every facet of daily life.

“It affects everything from commerce to distribution of food to stores that do have food not opening for fear of problems, banks not working, postal and deliveries not working, and so everything is in in upheaval and chaos because of the shutdowns,” he says.

Photo of an audio Bible, courtesy of MegaVoice.

Misinformation and propaganda played a role too, adding to the pressure Christians face from Islamic extremists. It points to the deeper agenda beneath the chaos.

“Almost all of the missionaries in that region (northern Mozambique) have had to flee to neighboring countries, or at least to the south,” Templeton says. “Many of the believers are hiding their Bibles or destroying [them], because if the Bibles are found in the homes, when they (terrorists) come through, they could be killed just because of having the Bible,” Templeton says.

“It’s definitely more of the same, and people trying to set up an Islamic State in Mozambique.”

Still, it’s an incredibly complicated situation. Riots can be sparked by one thing, but people join them for various underlying reasons — perhaps economic or political reasons. But in Mozambique, spiritual/religious propaganda is fueling another dimension.

“[They are] telling the people that they are Muslims at heart, and they need to return to their Muslim faith. It’s very complicated,” Templeton says.

MegaVoice is working with a partner to supply hundreds of solar-powered audio Bibles in northern Mozambique. The units are smaller than paper Bibles and more easily hidden.

“We have another order for another 800 units that are to go from the south. We were just talking with our partner there,” says Templeton. “They said, ‘Pray for us. Pray for the teams.’”

Pray for these believers putting their lives on the line to bring others God’s Word.

Header photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs USA.