Nigeria flag and map. /Envato Market
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
ABUJA (Worthy News) – Suspected Islamic Fulani herdsmen have killed a pastor and abducted other Christians in northwestern Nigeria’s Kaduna state, a region marked by recurring religious and ethnic tensions, despite U.S.-backed efforts to curb extremism that has killed thousands of Christians annually, Worthy News learned Tuesday.
Christians familiar with the situation said Reverend Joshua Ajiya of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ (ERCC) was killed February 26 in predominantly Christian Dorowa Maitozo village in Sanga County at about 8:30 p.m. local time in an attack in which dozens of other Christians were kidnapped.
Pastor Emmanuel Stephen, a resident of the area, said Fulani bandits attacked the Dorowa community in Maitozo, located in Ninzo Chiefdom in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
Christian news agency Morning Star News quoted him as saying the assault led to the killing of Reverend Joshua Ajiya, who had served the ERCC congregation in Dorowa for only two months before being slain.
Nigerians often use the term “bandits” for both criminal groups and militants targeting Christians for their faith, Worthy News documented.
TRUMP WARNS OF MORE US STRIKES
The latest killing comes amid heightened international attention following U.S. military action ordered by President Donald J. Trump targeting Islamist militants in Nigeria.
On Christmas Day 2025, the United States carried out airstrikes on camps linked to the jihadist group Lakurawa in Sokoto state in northwestern Nigeria, marking the first known U.S. military action of its kind in the country.
In a later interview, Trump warned that further military action could follow if the killings continue.
“I’d love to make it a one-time strike. But if they continue to kill Christians it will be a many-time strike,” he said.
Trump has also argued that Christians are the primary victims of violence in Nigeria, saying: “I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians.”
NIGERIA REJECTS CRITICISM
Nigeria’s government has pushed back against suggestions it is failing to protect Christians.
Officials say violence affects “Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike,” emphasizing that authorities remain committed to protecting all citizens.
A spokesperson for the foreign ministry said Nigeria would continue working with international partners, including the United States, while stressing respect for sovereignty and international law.
Residents said the Dorowa community has faced repeated violence, with several villagers still missing after the latest raid.
“Fulani bandits attacked Dorowa community… The attack tragically led to the killing of Reverend Joshua Ajiya,” Pastor Stephen said.
ATTACKS HIGHLIGHT SECURITY CRISIS
The assault followed a similar January 5 attack in nearby Arak village, where more than 30 Christians were abducted and at least two killed, according to residents.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with more than 230 million people, is roughly evenly split between Christians and Muslims.
While Christian advocacy groups say believers are disproportionately targeted, analysts note that jihadist violence in parts of the country has also killed large numbers of moderate Muslims.
The country has faced a 15-year Islamist insurgency led by groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), alongside criminal gangs, land conflicts, and separatist unrest.
The Lakurawa group targeted in the U.S. strikes is a newer jihadist faction operating near Nigeria’s border with Niger as part of a broader Sahel-based insurgency.
NIGERIA DEADLIEST FOR CHRISTIANS
Nigeria remains the deadliest country for Christians and ranks No. 7 on Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to follow Christ, according to the organization.
The group says 3,490 Christians were killed in Nigeria during a recent 12-month period — about 72 percent of the global total.
Christian leaders warn that attacks on farming communities in central regions continue, driven by a mix of extremist ideology and competition over land and resources.
The violence has spread across multiple regions, with ongoing raids, killings, and kidnappings raising fears of further instability.
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