By Kofoworola Fakeye, JKNewsMedia Reporter
WIDESPREAD KILLINGS, abductions and the destruction of places of worship marked the first six months of 2026, according to revelations contained in the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (ISCLRL)’s 2026 Midyear Report released in Enugu on Thursday, July 2.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the rights organisation alleged that suspected Islamist armed groups operating under the protection of state actors committed what it described as widespread atrocities across Nigeria between January and June, documenting what it called 22 international heinous crimes during the period.
The report estimated that 2,550 Christians and 1,050 Muslims were killed, while 2,800 Christians and 1,150 Muslims were abducted.
It also alleged that about 300 churches were destroyed, 10 Christian pastors were killed, another 10 abducted, 800 Christian women and children were forcibly converted to Islam while in captivity and about 175 Christian schoolchildren were abducted.
Consequently, Intersociety called for the resignation of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief (UNSRFRB), Nazila Ghanea, accusing her of downplaying the scale of religious persecution in Nigeria.
It alleged that her June 2026 visit ended with conclusions dismissing claims that the killings and abductions amounted to a deliberate government directed campaign targeting Christians, a position it said contradicted concerns previously expressed by five other UN special rapporteurs, who warned on June 8 that Christian women and girls in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt face systematic killings, abductions, sexual violence, forced conversions and child marriages.
The organisation also accused the Nigerian government of failing to adequately investigate or prosecute those responsible for the attacks, arguing that Nigeria’s inability or unwillingness to address the alleged crimes domestically raises questions under the principle of complementarity established by the International Criminal Court (ICC), to which Nigeria is a State Party.
It further alleged that armed groups enjoyed protection from state actors.
According to the report, about 720 separate attacks occurred during the six-month period, averaging 120 attacks each month.
Plateau State recorded the highest number of Christian deaths with about 420, followed by Borno State with about 400 deaths, particularly in the southern part of the state.
Other states identified as major hotspots included Benue, Taraba, Kaduna, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo, Delta, Edo and parts of the South East.
Intersociety attributed most of the killings and abductions to what it described as Fulani ethnic militants, Boko Haram, ISWAP and affiliated armed groups, claiming that about 300 churches and Christian worship centres were attacked, burnt or abandoned between January and June.
The report highlighted the Catholic Diocese of Wukari as one of the worst affected areas, citing figures released by the diocese showing that more than 100,000 worshippers had fled their communities since September 2025.
It added that the diocese recorded the destruction of 217 churches over an eight-month period ending in May 2026, while several parish houses were burnt and priests displaced.
Intersociety further claimed that nearly 19,700 churches have been destroyed nationwide since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009.
Its report also listed several clerics allegedly killed during the attacks, including pastors from the Evangelical Church Winning All, Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, Christ Apostolic Church, Church of Christ in Nations and the Anglican Communion.
It alleged that at least 10 other pastors and church leaders were abducted during the reporting period, with some later released while others were reportedly killed in captivity.
The report further claimed that 800 Christian women and children were forcibly converted to Islam after being abducted in parts of Kaduna, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Kwara, Kogi and Niger states, alleging that some cases involved state institutions while others were carried out by armed groups operating in forest camps.
Although much of the report focused on attacks against Christians, it also estimated that 1,050 Muslims were killed and 1,150 abducted, largely in attacks attributed to bandits, Boko Haram and allied groups.
It further alleged that about 200 Muslim civilians died in military airstrikes in parts of Yobe, Borno and Zamfara states, while a military airstrike in Niger State killed Christian civilians.
Intersociety said its findings were supported by a 66-page compilation of evidence gathered from field investigations, eyewitness accounts, community leaders, religious organisations, media reports, researchers, activists and international human rights bodies.
It said the report relied on more than 120 separate sources, including 40 general media reports, 20 specialist publications, 15 religious organisations, 10 research bodies, 15 local activists, five international organisations and 15 community groups.
However, the Nigerian government and security agencies have repeatedly rejected allegations of religious bias in the country’s security operations, maintaining that insecurity affects Nigerians across religious and ethnic lines and that security forces are combating terrorism, banditry and other violent crimes nationwide.
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