The Rev. Joshua Ajiya, ERCC pastor killed in Kaduna state, Nigeria on Feb. 26, 2026. (Fb)
ABUJA, Nigeria (Christian Every day Worldwide–Morning Star Information) – Suspected Fulani herdsmen on Feb. 26 killed a pastor and kidnapped different Christians in Kaduna state, Nigeria, space residents stated.
The Rev. Joshua Ajiya of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ (ERCC) was killed in predominantly Christian Dorowa Maitozo village, Sanga County at about 8:30 p.m. in an assault during which dozens of different Christians have been kidnapped, stated Pastor Emmanuel Stephen, a resident of the realm.
“Fulani bandits attacked Dorowa group in Maitozo , situated in Ninzo Chiefdom in Sanga Native Police Space of Kaduna state,” Pastor Stephen stated. “The assault tragically led to the killing of Rev. Joshua Ajiya, a pastor of the ERCC Church congregation in Dorowa group beneath ERCC Randa Convention. He had served the church within the Dorowa group for less than two months earlier than he was killed by Muslim Fulani bandits.”
Dorowa has been dealing with repeated safety challenges just lately, he stated.
Resident Thomas Hassan stated a number of villagers have been lacking following the assault.
“Might God consolation the affected households and proceed to guard our communities throughout this tough time,” Hassan stated.
The assault got here on the heels of an identical incident in Arak village, additionally in Sanga County, the place greater than 30 Christians have been kidnapped the night time of Jan. 5. Fulani herdsmen killed two Christians within the assault, residents stated. Amongst these kidnapped was an Averik Arak, aged mom of one of many two Christians slain, Kefas Habila Averik.
Extra Christians have been killed in Nigeria than in some other nation from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, based on Open Doorways’ 2026 World Watch Checklist. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for his or her religion throughout that interval, 3,490 – 72 p.c – have been Nigerians, a rise from 3,100 the prior 12 months. Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL listing of the 50 international locations the place it’s most tough to be a Christian.
Numbering within the thousands and thousands throughout Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise a whole lot of clans of many alternative lineages who don’t maintain extremist views, however some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the UK’s All-Occasion Parliamentary Group for Worldwide Freedom or Perception (APPG) famous in a 2020 report.
“They undertake a comparable technique to Boko Haram and ISWAP and exhibit a transparent intent to focus on Christians and potent symbols of Christian identification,” the APPG report states.
Christian leaders in Nigeria have stated they consider herdsmen assaults on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Center Belt are impressed by their need to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it tough for them to maintain their herds.
Within the nation’s North-Central zone, the place Christians are extra widespread than they’re within the North-East and North-West, Islamic extremist Fulani militia assault farming communities, killing many a whole lot, Christians above all, based on the report. Jihadist teams resembling Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), amongst others, are additionally energetic within the nation’s northern states, the place federal authorities management is scant and Christians and their communities proceed to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, based on the report. Abductions for ransom have elevated significantly in recent times.
The violence has unfold to southern states, and a brand new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged within the northwest, armed with superior weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL famous. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist Al-Qaeda insurgency Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali.
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