What changed

B100352/2026

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

(2026/2800(RSP))

– having regard to Rules 150(5)Rule and150 136(4)(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas inon 21 June 2026, aarmed brutalFulani armedIslamists attackkilled onat civiliansleast in23 theChristians, Kawelincluding village,a Plateaulocal State,pastor, causedin dozensa ofviolent deathsraid amongon theKawel localvillage Christianin community,Bokkos widespreadLocal injuries,Government andArea infrastructureof damage,Plateau reflectingState; whereas the tragicattackers intersectionspecifically oftargeted ethnic-religiouschurch tensionsleaders and resourcea conflicts;local clinic;

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

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;

C. 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;

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;

D. whereas systemic 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 crime, extremist activity, climate pressures and persistent impunity;

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

E. whereas Christians are among the most persecuted religious groups globally, and the failure to address this persecution undermines the protection of freedom of religion or belief;

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

1. Strongly condemns all violence perpetrated against civilians in Kawel and the wider Middle Belt; particularly deplores the disproportionate impact on women and girls, and firmly denounces the alarming rise in targeted abductions and kidnappings; expresses its deepest condolences to the families of all victims and all those affected by this horrific attack, including the Christian community of Plateau State;

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;

2. Urges the Nigerian federal and state authorities to conduct a thorough, transparent, and independent investigation into the Kawel massacre to bring perpetrators to justice and end the culture of impunity;

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

3. Calls on the Nigerian Government to strengthen both counterterrorism operations against armed militants, particularly in the Middle Belt region, and efforts to counter Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province;

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;

4. Calls on the Nigerian Government to remedy intelligence failures, improve early-warning sharing, strengthen state-led civilian protection, invest in regional mediation, implement sustainable land management policies, foster food security and address ecological drivers;

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;

5. 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 linked to these attacks;

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;

6. Reaffirms its unwavering commitment to freedom of thought, conscience and religion;

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

7. 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 and all persecuted religious communities in Nigeria;

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.

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

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, and the Government and Parliament of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.