On the night of June 16, 2026, suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded the village of Angwa Magaji in southern Kaduna State, Nigeria
They attacked the community around 10 p.m., killing nine Christians and wounding 11 others.
Father Mark Bisan, of the local St.
Monica Catholic Church, confirmed that all the victims were members of his parish.
He described the attackers as “suspected armed Fulani bandits.” Among the dead were young children, such as 5-year-old Esther Kefas, and other residents of different ages.
The wounded also included children and adults from the same Christian community.
This type of violence is not isolated.
Nigeria is the country where the most Christians are killed because of their faith.
According to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch Report, of the 4,849 Christians murdered worldwide for religious reasons during the period analyzed, 3,490-or 72%-were Nigerian.
The country ranks 7th on the list of the most difficult places to be a Christian.
The Fulani are a large, predominantly Muslim ethnic group with millions of members in Nigeria and the Sahel region.
Most are not extremist, but some clans adopt radical Islamist ideology and use tactics similar to those of groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP, with the clear objective of attacking Christians and Christian communities.
Nigerian Christian leaders believe these attacks aim to seize the land of Christian farmers, especially in the country’s Middle Belt region, exacerbated by desertification that hinders livestock farming.
In addition to attacks by Fulani militias, other jihadist groups operate in northern Nigeria, where federal government control is weak.
They carry out raids, kidnappings for ransom, sexual violence, and roadside murders.
The violence, which was previously concentrated in the north and center, has spread to southern states, and new terrorist groups, such as Lakurawa-linked to Al-Qaeda-have emerged in the northwest with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda.
Tragedies like the one in Kaduna continue to generate suffering and insecurity for Christian communities in the country.
Published in 06/19/2026 22h39
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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