Faith Amid Fire: Christians Mourn and Call for Peace
Faith Amid Fire: Christians Mourn and Call for Peace
The Christian community in Nigeria continues to mourn the loss of innocent lives as violence escalates across the northern regions. On November 8, 2025, seven Christians were laid to rest in Damakasuwa, Kaduna State, after being killed in an attack by armed Fulani herdsmen and other militants. On the same day, in Borno State, Boko Haram militants burned down a church building and Christian homes, leaving entire families displaced.
Grief and Unity in Damakasuwa
Hundreds of mourners gathered in Damakasuwa town, Kauru County, in northwest Nigeria’s southern Kaduna region, for the funeral of seven victims slain on October 31. Among the dead were men, women, and a 12-year-old boy: Yohanna Adamu, Bala Bude Chawai, Yakubu Bala, Abubakar Ya’u, Ishaya Dauda, Monday Nveneh, and Savior Emmanuel.
Local resident Daniel Dodo described the funeral as a painful yet powerful moment for the Christian community. “We have laid to rest seven of our beloved Christians who were killed by terrorists and Fulani herdsmen,” Dodo said. “The funeral is a ceremony of tears being shed by Christians in the midst of deliberate violence against us because of our Christian faith.”
As prayers filled the air, Reverend Madaki Sarki of the Evangelical Church Winning All encouraged mourners to find strength in faith. “Today we weep, but we also choose unity,” he said. “The blood of the innocent must bind us together to protect one another and stand for peace.”
Residents left the burial ground with heavy hearts but renewed determination. “As the graves were covered, the sound of sobbing gave way to quiet resolve,” said local Christian Rahila Chawaig. “We will not let fear destroy our unity.”
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Growing Threat in the North
The violence in Kaduna reflects a deepening crisis in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where militant Fulani groups have targeted Christian farming communities. Though not all Fulani are extremists, some have embraced radical Islamist ideologies. According to a 2020 report by the UK All Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief, these militants adopt strategies similar to Boko Haram and ISWAP, deliberately targeting Christians and their places of worship.
Christian leaders in Nigeria have long warned that these attacks are driven by both ideology and economic desperation, as desertification pushes herders southward. In many areas, Christian farmers have been forced from their ancestral lands, sparking fears of an orchestrated campaign to impose Islamic dominance in historically mixed regions.
Boko Haram Attack in Borno State
On the same day as the funeral in Kaduna, Christians in Pemi community, Chibok Local Government Area, Borno State, came under attack from Boko Haram fighters. Witnesses said the extremists burned down a Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (EYN) building, along with the pastor’s residence, shops, cars, and several Christian-owned homes.
“Pemi community is currently under attack by Boko Haram terrorists,” resident Andrew Yohanna said during the assault. Another local, Josiah Ayuba Ponna, described the aftermath as catastrophic. “The destruction of the church, shops, and cars is a painful reminder of the insecurity in our community. We are tired of living in fear. We need protection, security, and justice.”
Residents like Tabitha Joel pleaded for government intervention, saying the community was devastated. “The attackers left a trail of destruction, displacement, and unimaginable suffering,” she said. “Women are mourning, children are orphaned, and families are shattered.”
Chibok has long been a symbol of Christian suffering in Nigeria, dating back to the 2014 kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram. Residents say attacks have only intensified since then. “Nearly every village in Chibok has been attacked in the past year,” said Markus Njidda. “If this is not genocide, what else is it?”
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Nigeria Among the Most Dangerous Places for Christians
Nigeria remains one of the most perilous countries for Christians, according to Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List. Of the 4,476 Christians killed globally for their faith during the reporting period, 3,100 died in Nigeria—nearly 70 percent of the total. The report also warned that anti-Christian violence in Nigeria has reached the highest measurable level.
The violence is spreading southward, fueled by new extremist factions such as Lakurawa, a jihadist group in the northwest armed with advanced weapons and linked to Al Qaeda’s affiliate Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) in Mali.
As Nigeria ranks seventh among the world’s most dangerous nations for Christians, believers across the country continue to call for justice, protection, and peace. Their message remains clear: they will not be silenced by fear, and their faith will endure amid persecution.
Content Credit: Ohidah Oluwaferanmi
Image Credit: Simply catholic.com
