What changed

B100354/2026

B100356/2026

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

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

A. whereas,whereas on 21the tonight of 22 June 2026,2026 heavily armed assailantsFulani attackedmilitants assaulted Kawel village in Mushere District, Bokkos Local Government Area, Plateau State, killing 23 people; the victims included Reverend Markus AziArea of the Church ofPlateau ChristState, inNigeria, Nationsmurdering andup anto army30 officer;people;

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;

whereas the attackers reportedly assaulted a police post before attacking a medical clinic and the village itself; whereas the victims included patients, healthcare workers, a pastor and security personnel among others;

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;

whereas, despite reportedly being stationed close by and having received distress calls during the attack, soldiers failed to intervene and only arrived around two hours after the attack had ended;

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;

whereas the massacre forms part of a recurring pattern of mass killings targeting predominantly Christian communities; whereas major attacks have repeatedly coincided with Christian religious observances, including the Palm Sunday 2025 killings in Zikke village and Jos, the April 2025 attacks in Bokkos, and the Christmas Eve 2023 massacres in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi;

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;

whereas Christians in Nigeria continue to face severe threat from Fulani extremists as well as Islamist groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP); whereas in 2025 a total of 3,490 Christians were killed for their faith in Nigeria, more than in all other countries combined;

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;

whereas freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief is a fundamental human right protected under international law and the Nigerian Constitution;

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;

Strongly condemns the massacre in Kawel village in Nigeria; expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and solidarity to the affected communities;

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;

Condemns in the strongest possible terms the continuing persecution, violence and targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria, including recent attacks and abductions on schools in Borno state;

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

Calls on the Nigerian Government to intensify efforts to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the Kawel village massacre and other atrocities against Christian communities;

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;

Calls on the Nigerian Government to reinforce counter-terrorism operations against Fulani militants particularly in the Middle Belt region, in addition to efforts against Boko Haram and ISWAP; calls for greater security deployments, including the implementation of effective early warning and rapid response systems, alongside enhanced coordination and training, in cooperation with international experts;

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;

Urges the Nigerian Government to effectively address the situation of internally displaced persons by providing adequate temporary shelter and prioritising their safe return to their home communities;

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.

Reiterates its unequivocal support for freedom of religion or belief and calls on the Nigerian authorities to safeguard this right effectively;

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

Calls on the EU Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU to pay particular attention to the deteriorating situation of Christians in Nigeria;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, the governments and parliaments of Member States, the Government and National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the African Union, and the United Nations.