Days after the Palm Sunday massacre in Jos left at least 30 Christians dead, coordinated Easter weekend attacks across central Nigeria claimed dozens more lives, with multiple communities in Benue, Kaduna, and Nasarawa states reporting killings, abductions, and extensive destruction during one of the most significant periods in the Christian calendar.
In Benue state, at least 17 Christians were reportedly killed in the Mbalom community, Gwer East Local Government Area, during an early morning incident on Easter Sunday.
Residents reported that unidentified gunmen entered the village before dawn, opened fire on civilians, and set homes on fire. Survivors fled into nearby bush areas, while local sources indicated that additional bodies were being found in surrounding areas as search efforts continued.
Mbalom has previously experienced mass-casualty violence. In April 2018, 19 Catholic worshippers, including two priests, were killed in the same community during a church attack.
Elsewhere in Gwer East, violence was also reported in Ikpayongo, roughly 10 miles south of Makurdi, where a local youth volunteer commander was killed. Community members alleged that the attackers were guided by an individual previously known to residents.
In Kaduna, multiple attacks targeted Christian communities during Easter services. In Ariko, Kachia Local Government Area, armed individuals entered the community in the early hours of Sunday and opened fire on worshippers gathered for Easter. Witnesses said the attackers first struck a church belonging to the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), then moved to a nearby Catholic church.
Local accounts said that at least 12 people were killed in Ariko. Residents reported that the attackers surrounded the community before shooting began, limiting escape routes. Several people were also abducted. Military personnel later arrived and reportedly secured the release of 31 captives.
In Kajuru Local Government Area, at least three Christians were killed in Maro Kasuwa during a separate early morning attack, with additional reports of kidnappings. Other villages in southern Kaduna were also affected, with combined casualty figures from the area reaching at least 15 worshippers killed during Easter services across multiple locations.
Security concerns extended into Kagarko Local Government Area, where residents reported sightings of armed groups in bush areas near Kuratam, raising fears of further attacks in surrounding villages.
In neighboring Nasarawa state, violence occurred in Udege precinct, where at least 10 people were killed and several homes destroyed across the villages of Gidan-Ogiri, Akyewa Baka, and Udege-Kasa.
Across the affected states, witnesses consistently described attackers arriving on motorcycles and on foot, often in large numbers and operating for extended periods before the arrival of security forces.
Authorities have not yet released the official death toll for the Easter attacks, and government responses were still pending at the time of reporting. Local leaders in affected communities have called for increased security presence and faster response times in rural areas.
Pattern of Easter-Period Violence
The 2026 Easter incidents are consistent with a pattern of violent occurrences during major Christian holidays in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northern regions in the past five years.
2025 — Reports from Plateau and Benue states documented attacks on rural communities during Holy Week, including raids on villages and targeted killings of civilians.
2024 — Communities in Plateau state recorded deadly incidents around Easter, with gunmen attacking villages shortly after church gatherings.
2023 — Southern Kaduna experienced multiple coordinated assaults during the Easter period, resulting in deaths, injuries, and abductions.
2022 — Benue and Plateau states reported raids on farming communities during Holy Week, with homes burned and residents displaced.
2021 — Kaduna state saw attacks on villages during Easter weekend, including killings and kidnappings linked to armed groups operating in rural areas.
These incidents have frequently occurred in areas with limited security infrastructure, where response times are affected by distance and terrain. Many of the affected communities are far from military installations or major road networks.
The latest wave of violence comes amid ongoing concerns about security in Nigeria’s central region, where rural populations continue to face repeated attacks, particularly during periods of religious gathering.
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