There were at least 26 Christians murdered across northern Nigeria over the Easter weekend, with even more taken captive by Islamic militants.
Nigerian military officials are identifying at least three attacks, according to a report from The Washington Post.
On April 4, 17 were killed in Benue state by armed men who assailed the Mbalom community.
Also on April 4, four police officers in Borno state were killed in a firefight with a group affiliated with the Islamic State.
Then on Easter Sunday, five people were murdered during a service in Kaduna state.
“Regrettably, the remains of five victims already killed by the terrorists were also recovered at the scene,” the Nigerian army said.
“The fleeing terrorists are believed to have sustained significant casualties, as evidenced by blood trails along their escape routes.”
Though the Islamic militants had taken hostages during the attack on April 5, 31 of them were freed after Nigerian troops responded, according to a report from the BBC.
The army said that a “fierce firefight” resulted in the militants leaving behind the bodies and the hostages.
While the government portrayed the response as prompt, some local media said that the militants were able to operate unrestricted for a long time, per the BBC.
The days preceding Easter saw similar violence in Nigeria.
On Palm Sunday, an overnight attack left at least 20 dead in Plateau state, with militants on bikes firing sporadically into the Christian community, according to a report from Fox News.
Trump administration officials have been raising concerns about the attacks targeting Nigerian Christians for months, as well as taking steps to ensure the Nigerian government is responding to the threats.
The attacks ahead of Easter also drew the attention of Rep. Chris Smith, a Republican from New Jersey who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee.
“As Christians in Nigeria observe Holy Week and approach Easter Sunday, a time of profound spiritual reflection and celebration, I urge the Government of Nigeria to take immediate and concrete steps to ensure the safety and security of all Christian communities in the country,” Smith wrote in a statement.
“This includes deploying adequate security forces and holding perpetrators to account.”
The lawmaker added that “the continued failure to prevent and intercept these targeted attacks not only deepens human suffering, but also threatens the fabric of religious coexistence in the region.”
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