What changed

B100352/2026

B100354/2026

European Parliament resolution on the ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria, notably the Kawel village massacre

(2026/2800(RSP))

– having regard to Rule 150 (5) of its Rulesprevious ofresolutions Procedure,on Nigeria,

A. whereas on 21 June 2026, armed Fulani Islamists killed at least 23 Christians, including a local pastor, in a violent raid on Kawel village in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State; whereas the attackers specifically targeted church leaders and a local clinic;

– having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

B. whereas this attack is part of a documented pattern of escalating violence, specifically targeting Christians, across Nigeria’s Middle Belt; whereas more Christians were killed for their faith in Nigeria than in any other country worldwide, according to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List;

A. whereas, on 21 to 22 June 2026, armed assailants attacked Kawel village in Mushere District, Bokkos Local Government Area, Plateau State, killing 23 people; the victims included Reverend Markus Azi of the Church of Christ in Nations and an army officer;

C. whereas on 8 June 2026, UN Special Rapporteurs warned that Christian women and girls across northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt are being systematically killed, abducted, sexually assaulted, forcibly converted to Islam, and handed into child marriages, while the Nigerian authorities look the other way and fail to uphold freedom of religion, safety and liberty;

B. whereas the attack forms part of killings, abductions, forced displacement, property destruction and occupation of Christian farming communities in Plateau State and Nigeria’s Middle Belt; whereas the targeting of Christian villages, churches, clergy and traditional leaders demonstrates Islamist persecution aimed at terrorising and uprooting Christians from their lands;

D. whereas persistent insecurity, affecting civilian populations, creates conditions, that drive irregular migration toward Europe;

C. whereas attacks, the deliberate selection of Christian victims, the destruction and seizure of their communities and impunity reveal a campaign bearing the hallmarks of a genocide; whereas religious leaders and civil-society organisations warn that Christians in parts of Nigeria face an escalating threat of mass atrocities and destruction as a religious community;

1. Strongly condemns the Kawel village massacre as part of a systematic pattern of Islamist violence and targeting and violent persecution of Christian communities;

D. whereas Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province and allied Islamist terrorist networks have carried out killings, kidnappings and attacks against civilians and Christian communities; whereas the United States and Nigeria have intensified operations against such groups, reportedly eliminating commanders, fighters and infrastructure;

2. Is deeply concerned about the increasing violence and attacks by Muslim Fulani militia against Christian communities in the Middle Belt and increasingly, the South, burning homes and churches as well as kidnapping, raping and murdering; notes that the Fulani militants adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and deliberately target Christians;

E. whereas the rights to life, human dignity, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and peaceful assembly and association are guaranteed by Nigeria’s Constitution and human-rights instruments;

3. Reaffirms that primary responsibility for citizen protection rests with the Nigerian government;

Strongly condemns the attack on Kawel village and the reported killing of 23 people, including patients, healthcare personnel, clergy and civilians; expresses condolences to the victims’ families, the Church of Christ in Nations and affected Christian communities;

4. Is very concerned about the very few investigations and prosecutions of Islamist groups and the failure of the Nigerian government to ensure justice and accountability; considers that weak law enforcement and high impunity in Nigeria are one of the main drivers of the escalating violence against Christian communities;

Declares that the systematic targeting of Christian communities in Plateau State and Nigeria’s Middle Belt constitutes Islamist persecution and displays genocidal characteristics; calls on Nigeria and the international community to recognise the religious motivation of this campaign;

5. Calls on Nigeria to mobilise its own resources and political will to address systemic corruption and governance failures that enable Islamist groups to target Christians; calls on Nigeria to strengthen its police and justice apparatus, making policing and prosecution robust and accountable; calls on Nigeria to reform its security and intelligence architecture to make it effective in the fight against Islamist terrorist groups;

Calls for independent investigations into the Kawel attack and allegations that nearby security forces failed to respond; demands the prosecution of perpetrators, commanders, financiers and accomplices and publication of the findings;

6. Emphasises that a stable, secure Nigeria capable of protecting its citizens is essential for European security interests and for preventing the root causes of irregular migration;

Underlines Nigeria’s responsibility to protect Christian communities and calls for reinforced security, early-warning mechanisms and rapid-response capabilities;

7. Calls on the Commission and EEAS to prioritise security sector support to Nigeria within the framework of EU-Africa partnerships;

Welcomes and commends United States–Nigeria operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP and other ISIS-linked organisations and calls for intensified action against their leadership, financing, weapons networks and infrastructure;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the European External Action Service, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the government, National Assembly and President of Nigeria.

Urges Nigeria to uphold freedom of religion or belief and ensure that no federal or state law, policy or practice discriminates against Christians or other religious minorities;

Calls on the EU and its Member States to recognise and raise the Islamist persecution of Christians and risk of genocide in dialogue with Nigeria; call the Europe's special envoy for freedom of expression, Mairead McGuinness to take a special commitment against the persecution of Christians.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to Nigerian, United States, African Union, ECOWAS, United Nations and relevant international authorities.