NIGERIA — Churches are being burnt down and their congregations forced to close in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, the half-way house between the mainly Muslim north and the mainly Christian south. As Andrew Boyd from Release International reports.

Terrorists in Nigeria who are targeting and burning churches have forced a leading denomination to shut down 70 of its congregations in Plateau State.

Continuing attacks in Mangu and Bokkos counties have forced 70 churches to close and are preventing evangelistic outreach in northeastern Nigeria, according to the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN).

COCIN president, Rev Amos Mohzo, told Morning Star News that all the worship buildings in these communities have been burned down by terrorists.

Attacks by heavily armed Fulani militants killed 238 people over Christmas 2023.

These raids by Fulani, Boko Haram and bandits have continued since unabated.

Partners of UK-based Release International, which supports persecuted Christians worldwide, say more than 30,000 Nigerians have been killed by militants since the troubles began.

And Nigerian sources say Islamists have destroyed 18,000 churches since 2009.

Release International highlights the rising violence against Christians in Nigeria in its 2024 Persecution Trends report.

Its partners are sending out warnings of pending attacks to local communities via text messages.

They’re also providing vital assistance to the victims, in the form of trauma counselling.

They describe the attacks as an ‘Islamic jihad’ aimed at provoking religious conflict.

Release International and partners are calling on the Nigerian military to protect the people.

There’s a long history of attacks by Islamists to cleanse northern Nigeria of its Christian minority. These date back to the Fulani jihads of the 18th and 19th centuries.

RI partners say more Christians are now being killed by Fulani militants than any other terror group.

Release International warns ‘The world must wake up to the religious and ethnic cleansing unfolding in Nigeria before our eyes.

‘Christian villagers are slaughtered and driven from their lands, which are then occupied by Islamist extremists. And yet Nigeria – and the world – continue to let this happen.’

Read more news on Christian Ministry and Christian Persecution on Missions Box.