What began as a night of worship ended in bloodshed when armed gunmen stormed a Christian prayer gathering in Nigeria, killing three worshipers and kidnapping 15 others in yet another horrifying attack targeting believers.
The assault unfolded around 8:30 p.m. on May 23 at a remote prayer ground in Kwara State, where church members had gathered for an evening vigil. According to authorities, heavily armed attackers burst into the service, opened fire on the congregation, and dragged dozens of terrified worshipers into the darkness.
Police say three Christians were killed on the spot.
“The Kwara State Police Command strongly condemns the gruesome attack, killing and abduction of innocent worshipers by armed criminals,” police spokesman Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi said in a statement.
The attack was reported by Pastor Adebayo Abiodun, who said gunmen invaded the prayer gathering and began firing indiscriminately before abducting 15 members of his congregation.
Authorities have launched a major rescue operation involving police drones, intelligence units, and tactical response teams in an effort to locate the missing Christians and bring the attackers to justice.
Kwara State Police Commissioner Ojo Adekimi described the massacre as “barbaric, callous and unacceptable,” while promising that security forces are working to rescue those still being held captive.
The shocking attack has reignited concerns over Nigeria’s worsening security crisis and the growing dangers faced by Christian communities across the country.
In a move that underscores the severity of the threat, local government officials have now ordered churches to stop holding all-night worship services.
Ekiti Local Government Council Chairman Awelewa Olawale Gabriel said religious leaders had previously been warned about conducting nighttime gatherings in isolated areas because of ongoing terrorist activity.
“Faith cannot be practiced at the expense of life,” Gabriel said. “We have consistently advised churches and mosques in isolated areas to stop holding night vigils.”
The decision has sparked concern among many Christians who see the move as a painful reminder of how violence is increasingly disrupting religious freedom in parts of the country.
Human rights advocates blasted government officials for what they described as a weak response to a growing wave of terrorism, kidnappings, and deadly attacks.
The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) said the massacre sent surrounding communities into panic as residents fled amid gunfire and chaos.
“Residents have been abandoned to fear, uncertainty and lawlessness,” the organization said in a statement.
The group warned that Kwara State is rapidly becoming a dangerous hotspot for terrorism and violent extremism, with farmers afraid to work their land and entire communities living under constant fear of attack.
The latest massacre is far from an isolated incident.
In November, armed bandits attacked a Christ Apostolic Church congregation in the same region, killing worshipers and kidnapping others. Another church attack occurred in March when gunmen abducted believers during a worship service at an Evangelical Church Winning All congregation.
Human rights leaders say the repeated assaults demonstrate that criminal and extremist groups are becoming increasingly bold.
Meanwhile, alarming new figures highlight the scale of the crisis facing Christians in Africa’s most populous nation.
According to the 2026 World Watch List published by Open Doors, more Christians were killed for their faith in Nigeria than in any other country in the world between October 2024 and September 2025.
Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide during that period, 3,490 were in Nigeria—an astonishing 72% of the global total.
The report also warned that violence is spreading into new regions of the country and pointed to the emergence of Lakurawa, a jihadist terror group linked to al-Qaeda-affiliated militants operating across West Africa.
As families mourn the dead and pray for the safe return of those still missing, critics say Nigeria’s leaders face mounting pressure to confront the escalating violence before even more communities are left devastated.
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And so they keep denying it. SMH we need to tre
It doesn’t do to flap your religion in the faces of another religions. It’s disrespectful. In this country the worst that could happen is an internet storm with negative comments. In some other countries it’s answered with violence. When American religion whines about discrimination in this country they should remember that.