On Easter Sunday, armed terrorists stormed an ECWA church and a Catholic parish in Ariko Village, Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria, abducting thirty-one worshippers during active services and killing at least seven congregants in a coordinated assault on three places of worship. The attackers employed sophisticated weapons and moved with tactical coordination, striking during peak attendance when families gathered for Easter celebrations — a deliberate targeting pattern consistent with escalating Holy Week violence across Nigeria's Middle Belt. Nigerian Army troops from Operation Safe Haven responded to a distress call and engaged the terrorists in a running firefight near the Redemption Camp area between Heipang and Kassa, forcing the attackers to abandon the hostages and arresting one suspected militant. The rescue was confirmed, though Christian advocacy groups in Nigeria disputed portions of the military's account regarding casualty figures, with some reports placing the death toll higher. The Ariko attack occurred within forty-eight hours of a separate Palm Sunday massacre in Jos, Plateau State, where gunmen killed at least thirty Christians, and a midnight raid on Pwomol Village in Barkin Ladi that left three youths dead — establishing a concentrated pattern of Easter-period violence targeting Christian communities across northern and central Nigeria.

What this means: The coordinated nature of the Ariko attack — multiple churches, simultaneous entry, Easter timing — signals premeditated targeting of Christian worship gatherings rather than opportunistic banditry. Combined with the Jos Palm Sunday killings and the Pwomol Village raid, the evidence points to an organized campaign timed to Holy Week when churches are at maximum occupancy. This marks one of the most concentrated periods of anti-Christian violence in Kaduna State since the 2020 Southern Kaduna massacres.

Who's at risk: Christian communities across Nigeria's Middle Belt and northern states face acute exposure during the post-Easter period, particularly rural parishes in Kaduna, Plateau, and Borno states where military presence is intermittent. ECWA and Catholic congregations in Kachia and Barkin Ladi LGAs remain primary targets. Nigerian pastors who refuse to cancel services despite active threats are at elevated personal risk, and the pattern of church-time attacks creates a chilling effect on open worship across the region.

Outlook: Expect sustained pressure on Nigerian Christian communities through the end of April. The success of the military rescue at Ariko may temporarily deter mass-abduction attempts, but the underlying operational capability of armed groups in Kaduna State remains intact. Watch for retaliatory kidnappings targeting church leaders in the Kachia-Barkin Ladi corridor, and for armed group activity to shift toward softer targets — home fellowships, midweek Bible studies, and rural prayer meetings — where security response times are longer.

ARIKO VILLAGE, NIGERIA – Armed terrorists attacked three churches during Easter services, killing at least seven worshippers and abducting thirty-one before Nigerian troops intervened and rescued the hostages in a firefight near Heipang.

BAFWAKAO, DRC – Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants, operating under ISIS's Central Africa Province banner, carried out an Easter massacre in Mambasa Territory, killing dozens of Christians and burning residences in a coordinated Maundy Thursday assault.

JOS, NIGERIA – Gunmen killed at least thirty Christians in a Palm Sunday attack in Plateau State, one of the deadliest single incidents targeting the persecuted Church in Nigeria this year.

PWOMOL VILLAGE, NIGERIA – Armed terrorists invaded the village in Barkin Ladi LGA at midnight, killing three youths and critically injuring one. Security forces arrested one suspect near the Redemption Camp area.

OMUGO, NIGERIA – Evangelical church members were kidnapped during a church activity in Kwara State. No further details on casualties or ransom demands were reported.

KWAPUL, NIGERIA – Insurgents burned a church building and multiple homes during a night raid in Chibok LGA, Borno State. No casualty figures were confirmed.

SOKOTO, NIGERIA – Nigerian Army denied social media claims of an attack on the Catholic bishop's residence and cathedral. The reports could not be independently verified.

AMICHI, NIGERIA – A pastor was accused of assaulting a schoolgirl during a deliverance session. Criminal investigation is ongoing.

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA – Fire severely damaged St. John The Divine Church. The cause of the fire was not confirmed at the time of reporting.

GAZA, PALESTINE – The remaining Christian community in Gaza marked a third consecutive Easter under active conflict conditions, with community leaders stating they "refuse to celebrate" amid ongoing hostilities. Access to churches remains restricted.

AIN SAADEH, LEBANON – An Israeli airstrike killed a Christian political party official and two others in the Beirut suburb. The strike targeted a residential area in a predominantly Christian neighborhood.

HAMA GOVERNORATE, SYRIA – Armed men attacked Christians ahead of Holy Week in Hama province. Details on casualties and the identity of the perpetrators were limited.

DEBEL, LEBANON – A resident of the Christian town in southern Lebanon reported being injured during an Israeli tank and gunfire attack while outside his home. Residents described severe restrictions on movement as Israeli forces blocked access routes.

JDEIDEH, LEBANON – Displaced Christians held Easter services in a Beirut suburb, far from their home villages and churches. Ongoing hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters have displaced thousands of Lebanese Christians from southern communities.

JERUSALEM – Israeli authorities imposed access restrictions to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre during Easter, limiting the number of worshippers permitted to enter Christianity's holiest site.

DUBAI, UAE – Catholic masses were cancelled due to security concerns stemming from the broader Middle East conflict.

No current updates.

SHIVAMOGGA, INDIA – Two pastors were injured in a physical attack during Holy Week while distributing Gospel materials in Shivamogga district, Karnataka. The assailants were not identified.

JAUNPUR, INDIA – Police raided a Christian prayer gathering in Uttar Pradesh and filed a First Information Report under the state's anti-conversion law. Multiple attendees were detained for questioning.

PATELA, INDIA – Authorities in Rajasthan revoked the license of a Christian school in Dungarpur District and ordered students to relocate. The school had operated in the community for several years.

WAZIRABAD, PAKISTAN – A truck rammed into a Catholic sunrise procession in Punjab province on Easter morning, killing one person and injuring multiple worshippers. Authorities are investigating whether the act was deliberate.

GUJRANWALA, PAKISTAN – A separate truck ramming targeted a Christian Easter procession in Punjab. The incident followed the same pattern as the Wazirabad attack, raising concerns about coordinated targeting of Christian gatherings.

PAKISTAN – Reports surfaced of the alleged abduction and forced marriage of a Christian minor, Maria Shahbaz. Advocacy groups are pressing for judicial intervention.

LAOS – A report from persecution monitoring organizations detailed ongoing pressure on Christian communities, including surveillance, fines, and social exclusion of believers in rural provinces.

No current updates.

TELUKNAGA, INDONESIA – Authorities sealed the Christian Ecumenical Fellowship Church and forced the congregation to relocate after a Good Friday service. The closure followed pressure from local residents opposed to the church's presence.

NORTH SUMATRA, INDONESIA – A church-related fraud fugitive was detained after fleeing abroad. The case involved financial crimes tied to church administration.

SAN PEDRO CUTUD, PHILIPPINES – Participants performed the annual Good Friday crucifixion ritual in Pampanga province. The event is a cultural tradition and does not constitute persecution.

RIVAS, NICARAGUA – Nicaraguan authorities banned Catholic Holy Week public processions, requiring all religious observances to take place under police supervision and within church grounds. The restrictions are consistent with the Ortega government's ongoing suppression of Catholic institutional activity.

NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES – A pastor was shot dead in her home. Her husband was charged with murder.

TURNER STATION, MARYLAND – A pastor from Mt. Olive Baptist Church was shot during a carjacking at his home days before Easter. He returned to his pulpit on Easter Sunday, describing his survival as protection from a "bulletproof God."

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES – Two Iranian Christian converts were violently arrested outside their home by immigration enforcement agents. The converts had been seeking asylum based on religious persecution in Iran.

HOUSTON, UNITED STATES – Two Christian converts from Iran were placed in ICE custody and face potential deportation. Advocates warned that return to Iran could result in execution for apostasy.

HAWTHORNE, NEW YORK – The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne filed a federal lawsuit seeking a religious exemption from a state law requiring nursing homes to accommodate transgender residents' gender identity and complete LGBTQ cultural competency training.

CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES – The EEOC filed suit against a trucking company over denial of a worker's request for Sunday church attendance, alleging violation of religious accommodation requirements.

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA – Charges were dropped against a protester accused of disrupting an Easter service.

MINEOLA, NEW YORK – A lawsuit challenged a Nassau County law restricting protests near houses of worship, testing the balance between free expression and religious assembly protections.

MECHANICSVILLE, GEORGIA – Fire heavily damaged a church building in the Atlanta area. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

WHITNEY, TEXAS – Fire destroyed the sanctuary of Fort Graham Baptist Church. The congregation held its first post-fire Sunday service outdoors. A second church fire was reported in nearby Central Texas the same week.

COLBERT COUNTY, ALABAMA – Fire destroyed Abbie Baptist Church. Arson was not confirmed but the fire followed a pattern of multiple church fires reported across the southeastern United States during Holy Week.

SUNSET, ARKANSAS – Fire destroyed Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. The cause was under investigation.

FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT – An arrest was made in connection with a fatal 2022 shooting at a church-hosted party.

WARSAW, POLAND – A historic papal cross near St. Maximilian Kolbe Church was burned on Good Friday. The seventeen-meter cross was a local religious landmark. Authorities are investigating arson.

DERRYBEG, IRELAND – St. Mary's Church in Gweedore was damaged by a fire of unknown origin during the Easter period.

AIGIRA, GREECE – Fire destroyed the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos. The cause was not immediately determined.

NIJKERK, NETHERLANDS – An explosion damaged the Christians for Israel center, a pro-Israel advocacy organization. No injuries were reported.

RUZHANY, BELARUS – A firewood fire threatened a nearby church but was contained before causing structural damage.

No current updates.

This week we ask the global Church to lift up three urgent fronts in prayer.

For the Church in Nigeria. Easter should be a day of resurrection joy. In Ariko Village, it became a day of terror — armed men storming sanctuaries, dragging worshippers from their pews, leaving seven dead. In Jos, thirty believers never came home from Palm Sunday. Father, surround the congregations of Kaduna and Plateau States with Your protection. Strengthen the pastors who open their church doors despite the threat. Comfort every family who buried a loved one this Holy Week.

For the displaced Christians of Lebanon and Gaza. Thousands of Lebanese Christians marked Easter far from their villages, their churches damaged or inaccessible. In Gaza, the remnant Christian community refused to celebrate — not in protest, but in grief. Lord, be present with those who worship in borrowed rooms, who mourn in places not their own. Restore what has been taken and sustain those who hold fast to hope.

For Iranian Christian converts facing deportation. In Los Angeles and Houston, Iranian believers who fled execution for their faith were arrested and placed in custody. If deported, they face death for the name of Christ. God of the exile, intervene on behalf of those who left everything to follow You. Let no earthly power return them to the hands of their persecutors.

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