On the ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria, notably the Kawel village massacre

B100352/2026

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 Rules of Procedure,

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;

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

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

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;

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

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;

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;

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;

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

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.