church in chains report on horrific attacks in nigeria’s middle belt region

Warning: This article contains descriptions which some readers may find upsetting.

On Christmas Eve 2023, armed terrorists attacked dozens of majority-Christian villages in Nigeria. The attacks continued until 30th December, with at least eight churches being burned down. Reports state that 238 people were killed in the attacks, including the wife of Rev Gideon Dawel and his five daughters.

Rev Gideon said he stood far away with members of the vigilante group who were supposed to be protecting the community and heard the attackers shouting “Allah ak’abar” (Allah is great). He said that armed terrorists led the attack followed by others with machetes, ahead of others with flames who burnt down the houses. The vigilantes went into hiding as they were outnumbered by the attackers who were more heavily armed.

Rev Gideon said he could not come out of hiding until daybreak at 6am when he went to his house to find it burnt. Some rooms where grains were stored were still burning and he sat outside his burnt home as people came to greet him expecting that his wife and children would emerge from their hideout. Unknown to him, their bodies lay in the ashes of their home. When eventually someone went into the rubble and discovered the remains of his family, he collapsed and was taken unconscious to hospital.

You can read more, and find how you can support persecuted Christians in Nigeria, in the original article published by Church in Chains.