Gunmen attacked a church in Nigeria, killing at least two people and kidnapping the pastor and several worshippers during a service. The attack occurred on Tuesday evening in Eruku, a town in central Nigeria’s Kw, according to Reuters, which cited police and witnesses. Reuters reviewed and verified a video from a local news outlet showing gunmen entering the church, firing at worshipers, and taking their belongings. The attack is the latest in a series of escalating violence against Christians in the region.
The governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has requested immediate deployment of security forces following the incident. The violence has intensified in recent weeks, with recent attacks including the kidnapping of 25 girls from a boarding school in Kebbi State and the killing of at least one staff member. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz has highlighted the ongoing violence in Nigeria, describing the targeting of Christians as ‘genocide wearing the mask of chaos.’ Rap superstar Nicki Minaj, who has been vocal about her support for the Trump administration’s efforts to combat the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, spoke at Waltz’s event, emphasizing the urgent need for action to protect Christian communities.
Policeman spokesperson Nafi’u Abubakar Kotarkoshi told The Associated Press that the gunmen had ‘sophisticated weapons’ and exchanged fire with guards before abducting the girls. ‘A combined team is currently combing suspected escape routes and surrounding forests in a coordinated search and rescue operation aimed at recovering the abducted students and arresting the perpetrators,’ he said, adding that one person was killed and another was injured. President Donald Trump has designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern amid escalating violence against Christians in the West African nation.