Abuja: More than 3,000 Christians were killed and over 3,000 abducted across Nigeria between January and August 2026, according to a new report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (InterSociety).
The organisation said 3,083 Christians were killed and 3,193 abducted during the eight-month period. It also reported that about 400 churches were attacked and 25 priests and pastors were killed or abducted.
July and August emerge as particularly deadly months
InterSociety said violence intensified during July and August, which it described as among the deadliest months of the year. Its data recorded 437 Christian deaths and 393 abductions during the two months.
August alone accounted for 138 reported deaths and 180 abductions, with Plateau and Benue among the states repeatedly affected by deadly attacks.
The organisation said its assessment was compiled using primary and secondary sources, including information from residents, survivors and eyewitnesses in affected communities. It has also warned that some incidents may remain unreported.
Churches and communities face continuing violence
The report said attacks have affected not only individuals but also churches and entire communities. InterSociety estimated that around 19,800 churches had been attacked or destroyed in Nigeria since July 2009.
The organisation’s latest figures build on its earlier mid-year assessment, which recorded 2,550 Christian deaths and 2,800 abductions between January and June 2026.
The figures have renewed concern over the continuing insecurity facing communities in Nigeria, particularly in parts of the Middle Belt. While InterSociety attributes the reported attacks to religiously motivated violence, the scale and classification of individual incidents can vary between sources.