What changed

B100353/2026

B100355/2026

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

(2026/2800(RSP))

having regard to itsRules previous150(5) resolutionsand on136(4) Nigeria,of its Rules of Procedure,

having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas Christians are reported to be the most persecuted religious group globally and the failure to acknowledge and address this undermines credibility of international efforts to protect freedom of religion or belief;

whereas on orthe aroundnight 22of June22-23 2026June heavily2026, armed assailantsFulani militants reportedly affiliated with highly violent Islamist organisations attacked Kawelthe village,predominantly MushereChristian District,village of Kawel in Bokkos Local Government Area, Plateau State, killingdeliberately attargeting leastChristian 20civilians civilians,and withchurch localleaders; civil-societywhereas sourcesthe reportingattack 23killed deaths;at whereasleast reports28 indicateChristians, thatincluding thePastor attackersMarkus struckNyam aof policethe post,Church aof governmentChrist clinicin andNations residentialand areas,other killingmembers patients,of caregivers,his acongregation, womaninjured inmany labour,others, aand clinicdestroyed attendant,homes aand pastorcommunity andbuildings otherby civilians;fire;

whereas this attack forms part of a wider pattern of violence in Plateau State and the Middle Belt, including attacks on predominantly Christian farming communities, traditional leaders, clergy, schools, health facilities and places of worship;

whereas telecommunications were reportedly disrupted during the attack, preventing residents from requesting assistance; whereas troops from Operation Enduring Peace, stationed approximately one mile away, allegedly failed to respond to distress calls and arrived only after the attack had ended;

whereas violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt is driven by a complex combination of religious, ethnic and intercommunal tensions, farmer-herder conflicts, land and water disputes, organised criminality, extremist activity, climate pressures and persistent impunity;

whereas, despite repeated warnings from local communities, churches and civil society organisations, the Nigerian authorities have been unable to prevent such attacks or to provide adequate protection to vulnerable Christian populations, to ensure timely and effective intervention, or to carry out thorough investigations and prosecutions;

whereas the Nigerian Constitution protects freedom of thought, conscience and religion; whereas the Nigerian authorities have the primary responsibility to protect all citizens, prevent further attacks, ensure accountability and rebuild public trust;

whereas the Kawel massacre in part of a broader pattern of repeated deadly attacks affecting communities of different faiths and ethnicities across Plateau State, Benue State and other parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt;

StronglyCondemns condemnsin the strongest possible terms the massacre of Christians in Kawel village and allexpresses attacksits againstdeepest civilians,condolences includingto predominantlythe Christianfamilies communities,of religiousthe leaders,victims, schools,the clinicsChristian communities of Plateau State and placesall ofthose worship;affected by this horrific attack;

Expresses its condolences to the families of the victims and its solidarity with all communities affected by violence in Plateau State and across Nigeria;

Denounces the ongoing violence in parts of Nigeria, which affects many communities, including Christians, and condemns the repeated attacks, killings, kidnappings, forced displacement and destruction of churches and Christian communities;

Calls on the Nigerian federal and Plateau StateFederal authoritiesGovernment to conduct alaunch prompt,an independent and transparent investigation into the Kawel massacre, including any reported failures by security forces to respondidentify toand distressprosecute calls,those responsible and to bring all perpetratorsensure andjustice accomplicesfor tothe justice;victims;

Urges the Nigerian authorities to strengthen the effective protection of vulnerable communities, improve early-warning and rapid-response mechanisms,security and ensure that securityeffective operationsprotection complyfor withChristian humanand rightsother andvulnerable docommunities notat fuelrisk furtherof intercommunalrepeated tensions;attacks;

Calls for urgent humanitarian assistance, psychosocial support, medical care and safe, voluntary and dignified return or relocation options for displaced persons, with particular attention to women, children, survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and religious minority communities;

Supports efforts to set-up a meaningful and inclusive national dialogue to tackle the ongoing violence across multiple regions and underlines the need to address the socio-economic factors that are linked to these attacks;

Stresses that freedom of religion or belief is a universal right; callsCalls on the Nigerian authorities to preventuphold andfreedom addressof hatereligion speech,or incitementbelief, toguarantee violence,equal forcedprotection displacement,of forcedall conversioncitizens, and attacksensure againstthat religiousChristians communities,are andable to promote intercommunalworship dialoguefreely and reconciliation;safely without fear of violence or intimidation;

Calls onfor theincreased EU,EU thesupport EEASfor andvictims theof Memberreligious Statespersecution and calls to raiseprioritise the protection of civilians, accountability, freedom of religion or belief and support for affected communities in their dialogue with Nigeria, including through the upgraded EU-Nigeria partnership, the humanEU’s rightspolitical dialogue and developmentwith cooperation;Nigeria;

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 AffairsVP/HR, and Security Policy, the Nigerian Government and National Assembly, the GovernorParliament of Plateau State, ECOWASthe andFederal theRepublic Africanof Union.Nigeria.