Africa

163 Worshippers Abducted from Two Churches in Nigeria

Christian Persecution

Working Overtime To Squelch The Church: Christian Persecution Reports Reach All-Time High

Christian Persecution

As Nigeria’s Government ‘Lives In Denial’ About The Genocide Of Christians, America Races to Intervene

The disturbing response only stoked fears that the nation is once again turning its back on the evil stalking Christians in Nigeria’s remotest areas. Kenneth Ononeze, a Kaduna state pastor, was livid. “What’s federal and state government doing to rescue them?” he demanded to know. “Are they still living in denial that Christian genocide is not going on?”

Featured - January 27, 2026

Decision Magazine / Press

ISIS Warns Nigerian Christians to Convert, ‘Spare Their Blood’

Christian Persecution

Hunted For Faith In Christ: Shining A Spotlight On The Crisis Faced By Nigerian And Syrian Believers

Christian Persecution

As Nigeria’s Government ‘Lives In Denial’ About The Genocide Of Christians, America Races to Intervene

Featured - January 27, 2026

Africa

163 Worshippers Abducted from Two Churches in Nigeria

Christian Persecution

Working Overtime To Squelch The Church: Christian Persecution Reports Reach All-Time High

ISIS Warns Nigerian Christians to Convert, ‘Spare Their Blood’

Hunted For Faith In Christ: Shining A Spotlight On The Crisis Faced By Nigerian And Syrian Believers

Will The World Finally Face The Truth About What’s Happening To Believers In Nigeria?

Only The Tip Of The Iceberg: Somalia’s UN Ambassador Linked to Fraud Scandal Enveloping Minnesota

Nigerian Officials Ignored Early Warnings Before Deadly New Year’s Eve Attack

US Launches Christmas-Day Strike On ISIS Targets In Nigeria Amid Rising Attacks On Christians

The Genocide Of Christians In Nigeria And A War Of Propaganda To Convince The World Nothing Is Out Of The Ordinary

Both Side Of The Bloody Conflict In Sudan Have A Common Enemy: Christians

Russia’s Bid for a Red Sea Stronghold: Sudan’s Secret Base Deal Ignites Global Alarm

Samaritan’s Purse Plane Hijacked En Route To South Sudan, Suspect in Custody

U.S. Launches New Visa Restrictions Targeting Perpetrators of Anti-Christian Violence in Nigeria

Pompeo: The Plight Of Nigerian Christians Has Never Really Received The Attention It Deserves

Widespread Abductions And Massacres: Attacks On Christians In Nigeria Continue As Government Is Urged To Take Action

DRC: Islamist Attack On Hospital In Christian-Majority Territory Leaves At Least 20 Dead

From Nigeria to New York, Islamic Ideology Is Forcibly Working To Gain Ground

‘Guns A-Blazing’: Trump Considers Military Action To Stop Christian Genocide In Nigeria

Evangelical Leaders Call For Prayer After Terrorists Kidnap American Missionary In Niger

Ted Cruz Demands Nigeria Be Held Accountabile For Not Protecting Christians From Mass Slaughter

Over 30 Mozambique Christians Beheaded by ISIS Group

Nigerian High Court Overturns Absurd ‘Kidnapping’ Conviction Of Pastor Who Helped Persecuted Converts Flee To Safety

Over 40 Churchgoers In Congo Slaughtered By Terrorists In Surprise Attack

All By Design: How Nigeria’s Islamic Extremists Get Away with Killing So Many Christians

Violence Sweeps Through Nigerian Christian Villages, Leaving More Than 40 Dead In Latest Targeted Attack

How Media Outlets Avoid the Religious Aspects of Violence in Nigeria

Mike Pompeo: Radical Islamic Terrorism Can Not Be Defeated Without Naming It Precisely For What It Is

God Answers Prayer, Miraculously Protecting Kidnapped Tennessee Pastor During Deadly Shootout

In An Area Once Under Communist Rule, 430K Ethiopians Gathered To Hear Franklin Graham Preach The Gospel

70 Christians In Congo Church Found Beheaded In Devastating Massacre By Islamic Terrorists

Thousands Of Christians Killed And Imprisoned For Their Faith In 2024, Report Reveals

1,500 Displaced As Terrorists Raid, Burn Christian Communities In Nigeria

Persecuted Pastor Urges International Community To Stand Against Weaponized Laws Targeting Churches

At Least 80 Christians Killed In Targeted ISIS Massacre In The Democratic Republic of the Congo

House Resolution Moves Forward To Place Nigeria Back On The CPC List For Its Slaughter Of Christians

Turning A Blind Eye: State Dept. Sparks Outrage For Excluding Nigeria From 2024 Persecution Watchlist

Nigeria Named ‘Most Dangerous Place To Be A Christian,’ But It’s Still Not A ‘Particular Concern’ To The Biden Administration

Gog Coalition Building: Protests Erupt In Libya After FM Meets With Israel To Discuss Normalization

Persecution Of Christians Rising: Wife in Uganda Killed For Receiving Christ As Lord And Savior

Beaten & Burned for Praising Jesus: Latest Violence Demands The US Redesignate Nigeria On Persecution Watch List

Taliban, Kim Jong-Un, Nigeria Named Top 3 Christian Persecutors Of 2021

Destruction, Killing of Christians Continues Unabated in Nigeria

Africa

Christian Persecution

As Nigeria’s Government ‘Lives In Denial’ About The Genocide Of Christians, America Races to Intervene

Africa

163 Worshippers Abducted from Two Churches in Nigeria

Nigerian officials said that 163 worshippers were kidnapped on Sunday when heavily armed bandits raided at least two churches during services. The abductions reportedly occurred in a rural Christian community in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state in north-central Nigeria.

Christian Persecution

Working Overtime To Squelch The Church: Christian Persecution Reports Reach All-Time High

Open Doors International, which has been ranking countries since 1993 based on reports of violence against Christians, released its 2026 World Watch List on Jan. 14. Open Doors CEO Ryan Brown said that 388 million Christians live in regions of the world where they are highly susceptible to persecution for their faith. “The enemy is seeking to attack that which is advancing. … As those numbers increase, it shows that the enemy is working even harder to try to squelch the Church.”

ISIS Warns Nigerian Christians to Convert, ‘Spare Their Blood’

Hunted For Faith In Christ: Shining A Spotlight On The Crisis Faced By Nigerian And Syrian Believers

Will The World Finally Face The Truth About What’s Happening To Believers In Nigeria?

Only The Tip Of The Iceberg: Somalia’s UN Ambassador Linked to Fraud Scandal Enveloping Minnesota

Nigerian Officials Ignored Early Warnings Before Deadly New Year’s Eve Attack

US Launches Christmas-Day Strike On ISIS Targets In Nigeria Amid Rising Attacks On Christians

The Genocide Of Christians In Nigeria And A War Of Propaganda To Convince The World Nothing Is Out Of The Ordinary

Both Side Of The Bloody Conflict In Sudan Have A Common Enemy: Christians

Russia’s Bid for a Red Sea Stronghold: Sudan’s Secret Base Deal Ignites Global Alarm

Samaritan’s Purse Plane Hijacked En Route To South Sudan, Suspect in Custody

U.S. Launches New Visa Restrictions Targeting Perpetrators of Anti-Christian Violence in Nigeria

Pompeo: The Plight Of Nigerian Christians Has Never Really Received The Attention It Deserves

Widespread Abductions And Massacres: Attacks On Christians In Nigeria Continue As Government Is Urged To Take Action

DRC: Islamist Attack On Hospital In Christian-Majority Territory Leaves At Least 20 Dead

From Nigeria to New York, Islamic Ideology Is Forcibly Working To Gain Ground

‘Guns A-Blazing’: Trump Considers Military Action To Stop Christian Genocide In Nigeria

Evangelical Leaders Call For Prayer After Terrorists Kidnap American Missionary In Niger

Ted Cruz Demands Nigeria Be Held Accountabile For Not Protecting Christians From Mass Slaughter

Over 30 Mozambique Christians Beheaded by ISIS Group

Nigerian High Court Overturns Absurd ‘Kidnapping’ Conviction Of Pastor Who Helped Persecuted Converts Flee To Safety

Over 40 Churchgoers In Congo Slaughtered By Terrorists In Surprise Attack

All By Design: How Nigeria’s Islamic Extremists Get Away with Killing So Many Christians

Violence Sweeps Through Nigerian Christian Villages, Leaving More Than 40 Dead In Latest Targeted Attack

How Media Outlets Avoid the Religious Aspects of Violence in Nigeria

Mike Pompeo: Radical Islamic Terrorism Can Not Be Defeated Without Naming It Precisely For What It Is

Will The World Finally Face The Truth About What’s Happening To Believers In Nigeria?

Only The Tip Of The Iceberg: Somalia’s UN Ambassador Linked to Fraud Scandal Enveloping Minnesota

Nigerian Officials Ignored Early Warnings Before Deadly New Year’s Eve Attack

US Launches Christmas-Day Strike On ISIS Targets In Nigeria Amid Rising Attacks On Christians

The Genocide Of Christians In Nigeria And A War Of Propaganda To Convince The World Nothing Is Out Of The Ordinary

Both Side Of The Bloody Conflict In Sudan Have A Common Enemy: Christians

Russia’s Bid for a Red Sea Stronghold: Sudan’s Secret Base Deal Ignites Global Alarm

Samaritan’s Purse Plane Hijacked En Route To South Sudan, Suspect in Custody

U.S. Launches New Visa Restrictions Targeting Perpetrators of Anti-Christian Violence in Nigeria

Pompeo: The Plight Of Nigerian Christians Has Never Really Received The Attention It Deserves

Widespread Abductions And Massacres: Attacks On Christians In Nigeria Continue As Government Is Urged To Take Action

DRC: Islamist Attack On Hospital In Christian-Majority Territory Leaves At Least 20 Dead

From Nigeria to New York, Islamic Ideology Is Forcibly Working To Gain Ground

‘Guns A-Blazing’: Trump Considers Military Action To Stop Christian Genocide In Nigeria

Evangelical Leaders Call For Prayer After Terrorists Kidnap American Missionary In Niger

Ted Cruz Demands Nigeria Be Held Accountabile For Not Protecting Christians From Mass Slaughter

Over 30 Mozambique Christians Beheaded by ISIS Group

Nigerian High Court Overturns Absurd ‘Kidnapping’ Conviction Of Pastor Who Helped Persecuted Converts Flee To Safety

Over 40 Churchgoers In Congo Slaughtered By Terrorists In Surprise Attack

All By Design: How Nigeria’s Islamic Extremists Get Away with Killing So Many Christians

Violence Sweeps Through Nigerian Christian Villages, Leaving More Than 40 Dead In Latest Targeted Attack

How Media Outlets Avoid the Religious Aspects of Violence in Nigeria

Mike Pompeo: Radical Islamic Terrorism Can Not Be Defeated Without Naming It Precisely For What It Is

God Answers Prayer, Miraculously Protecting Kidnapped Tennessee Pastor During Deadly Shootout

In An Area Once Under Communist Rule, 430K Ethiopians Gathered To Hear Franklin Graham Preach The Gospel

70 Christians In Congo Church Found Beheaded In Devastating Massacre By Islamic Terrorists

Thousands Of Christians Killed And Imprisoned For Their Faith In 2024, Report Reveals

1,500 Displaced As Terrorists Raid, Burn Christian Communities In Nigeria

Persecuted Pastor Urges International Community To Stand Against Weaponized Laws Targeting Churches

At Least 80 Christians Killed In Targeted ISIS Massacre In The Democratic Republic of the Congo

House Resolution Moves Forward To Place Nigeria Back On The CPC List For Its Slaughter Of Christians

Turning A Blind Eye: State Dept. Sparks Outrage For Excluding Nigeria From 2024 Persecution Watchlist

Nigeria Named ‘Most Dangerous Place To Be A Christian,’ But It’s Still Not A ‘Particular Concern’ To The Biden Administration

Gog Coalition Building: Protests Erupt In Libya After FM Meets With Israel To Discuss Normalization

Persecution Of Christians Rising: Wife in Uganda Killed For Receiving Christ As Lord And Savior

Beaten & Burned for Praising Jesus: Latest Violence Demands The US Redesignate Nigeria On Persecution Watch List

Taliban, Kim Jong-Un, Nigeria Named Top 3 Christian Persecutors Of 2021

Destruction, Killing of Christians Continues Unabated in Nigeria

Deadly Unrest Spreads In South Africa In Wake Of Zuma Jailing As Grievances Boil Over

Coptic Christian Executed by ISIS-Linked Group in Warning to Egyptian Christians

ISIS In Mozambique ‘Beheading’ Children, Reports Say

Muslims Sent To Threaten, Rape & Attack Church After Imam’s Wife Turns to Christ

Iranian Plot to Attack Israeli Embassies Prevented in Eastern Africa

UPDATE: Kidnapped Nigerian Schoolboys Reportedly Released and Safe

State Department Designates Nigeria Among World’s Worst Religious Freedom Offenders

Human Rights Advocates Sound Alarm on ‘Christian Genocide’ Unfolding in Africa

Amid Concern Over Iranian Plot to Assassinate a US Official, Trump Issues Strong Warning

Black Christian Lives Apparently Do Not Matter

Evangelical Malawi President Positions to be First African Country to Move Embassy to Jerusalem

South African LGBTQ Groups Pressure President to Target Religious Freedom by Removing Conscience Protections

Uganda Man Dies, Cousin in Critical Condition after Being Beaten by Family for Converting to Christ

37 Christians Killed So Far This Month in Nigeria as Outcry Grows Louder

Sudan & Israel Say Talks Underway for Deal to Normalize Ties

Pastor, Church Member Die for Proclaiming Christ in Eastern Uganda

ISIS Warns Nigerian Christians to Convert, ‘Spare Their Blood’

The Islamic State has warned Nigerian Christians that they can “spare their blood” by renouncing their faith in Christ, according to a social media post from a West Virginia congressman and a Jan. 8 news report.

Hunted For Faith In Christ: Shining A Spotlight On The Crisis Faced By Nigerian And Syrian Believers

Those speaking out against these atrocities are concerned over the lack of coverage by prominent news sources and attention from political leaders around the world. Some have attributed the removal of nations, such as Nigeria, from the Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) and lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria as global measures that would have otherwise kept pressure on entities that severely violate international religious freedom.

Will The World Finally Face The Truth About What’s Happening To Believers In Nigeria?

Joel Veldkamp, head of international communications for Christian Solidarity International, said politics often taints the CPC list. Nigeria was on the list during Trump’s first term, but the Biden administration removed it. “It’s one of the most egregious omissions,” Veldkamp told CBN News. “More Christians are killed in Nigeria for their faith every year than in the rest of the world combined.”

Only The Tip Of The Iceberg: Somalia’s UN Ambassador Linked to Fraud Scandal Enveloping Minnesota

As to the full breadth of the scandal, “we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg so far,” Adams emphasized. “But Americans can have confidence that we’re going to uncover the size and magnitude of this, and we’re going to do everything we can to return those dollars back to hard working Americans.”

Nigerian Officials Ignored Early Warnings Before Deadly New Year’s Eve Attack

At least eight people, all residents of the predominantly Christian Bum community in Chugwi, Vwang District of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria, have been confirmed dead following a late-night armed attack.

US Launches Christmas-Day Strike On ISIS Targets In Nigeria Amid Rising Attacks On Christians

Trump said the strikes were ordered to halt the ongoing targeting of Christian civilians, warning that the United States would not stand by amid what he described as escalating violence against believers. In a post on Truth Social, the president said the U.S. had launched “powerful and deadly” strikes against ISIS militants who have been “viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.”

The Genocide Of Christians In Nigeria And A War Of Propaganda To Convince The World Nothing Is Out Of The Ordinary

There’s a genocide happening in Nigeria. While this may sound sensationalized, it’s a sober reality backed by years of data, eyewitness testimony, and independent documentation. While Christians are being slaughtered, abducted, and displaced, another war has just begun. It’s a war of propaganda intent on convincing the world that nothing out of the ordinary is happening.

Both Side Of The Bloody Conflict In Sudan Have A Common Enemy: Christians

Although the RSF and SAF are in conflict with each other, they have a common enemy in Christians, whom they do not see as fitting their Islamic vision for Sudan. Churches have been targeted by both the RSF and SAF. Christians have been denied food aid and told, “Unless you leave your Christianity, no food for you.” They, along with all the other people of Sudan caught in the crossfire, are the true victims here.

Russia’s Bid for a Red Sea Stronghold: Sudan’s Secret Base Deal Ignites Global Alarm

Sudan’s military rulers have quietly offered Russia its first-ever African naval base—an arrangement that would hand the Kremlin a powerful strategic foothold over the Red Sea, one of the world’s most critical and contested trade arteries—according to a Wall Street Journal exclusive.

Samaritan’s Purse Plane Hijacked En Route To South Sudan, Suspect in Custody

“We praise God that no one was seriously injured, and we are grateful to the security forces for their support and swift action on the ground to resolve the situation and bring a safe outcome,” stated Samaritan’s Purse.

U.S. Launches New Visa Restrictions Targeting Perpetrators of Anti-Christian Violence in Nigeria

The Trump administration on Wednesday unveiled sweeping new visa restrictions aimed at foreign nationals implicated in the surge of brutal anti-Christian violence in Nigeria–marking one of Washington’s strongest responses yet to what U.S. officials describe as escalating religious persecution in Africa’s most populous nation.

Pompeo: The Plight Of Nigerian Christians Has Never Really Received The Attention It Deserves

President Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over the systematic persecution of Christians is a welcome and much-needed step to protect religious freedom.

Widespread Abductions And Massacres: Attacks On Christians In Nigeria Continue As Government Is Urged To Take Action

The continuing violence has led the U.S. State Department to once again designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern. In announcing the move, President Donald Trump said Nov. 1 that if the Nigerian government fails to crack down on the killing of Christians, the U.S. military will be prepared to take military action to wipe out the Islamic terrorists committing the atrocities.

DRC: Islamist Attack On Hospital In Christian-Majority Territory Leaves At Least 20 Dead

ADF rebels attacked the Byambwe Reference Health Center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Christian-majority Lubero territory early Saturday morning, executing at least 18 patients in their hospital beds.

From Nigeria to New York, Islamic Ideology Is Forcibly Working To Gain Ground

The first was the largely underreported, if not unreported, news in the mainstream media about the horrific slaughtering of Christians in the country of Nigeria. The second event was the result of the mayoral election in New York City, where Democratic Socialist and Muslim adherent, Zohran Mamdani, succeeded in his campaign to become the next leader of one of America’s largest cities, often viewed as the shining beacon of capitalism. While these two circumstances might seemingly appear unrelated, there exists one prominent point of connection that is shared by both – Islam.

‘Guns A-Blazing’: Trump Considers Military Action To Stop Christian Genocide In Nigeria

“If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” the president said on Truth Social.

Evangelical Leaders Call For Prayer After Terrorists Kidnap American Missionary In Niger

“It is being reported that he was taken north to areas controlled by an offshoot of ISIS. The State Department said it is a top priority of the Trump Administration to look after the safety of every American, and they are supporting his recovery and safe return. Would you pray for his protection and that he will be released unharmed and able to come home?”

Ted Cruz Demands Nigeria Be Held Accountabile For Not Protecting Christians From Mass Slaughter

“Senator Cruz’s comments clearly struck a nerve with the Nigerian government, and they should. The Nigerian government should be deeply ashamed of the way they have negligently refused to protect Christian communities from repeated attacks by radical Islamists who burn entire villages and kill innocent Christians in the middle of the night. This is an ongoing travesty, and one that I’m so glad Senator Cruz is trying to address."

Over 30 Mozambique Christians Beheaded by ISIS Group

The chilling attacks, announced by the militant group through photos and statements, draw attention to the growing persecution of Christians in Mozambique, as the Islamic militant group advocates for the killing of Christians and pushes farther south in the country.

Nigerian High Court Overturns Absurd ‘Kidnapping’ Conviction Of Pastor Who Helped Persecuted Converts Flee To Safety

Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADF International) reported that a man the organization calls “David” (a pseudonym used to protect his identity) helped two women move to a safer area after they converted to Christianity. Islamist militants detained David, a church leader, as well as another church leader involved in the relocation, and tortured them. After they were handed to the police.

Over 40 Churchgoers In Congo Slaughtered By Terrorists In Surprise Attack

ADF has been connected with over 80 deaths within the last two weeks, the UN peacekeeping mission and local media reports. One 2025 ADF attack involved the slaughter of 70 Christians. The group rounded them into a church and killed them with machetes or hammers. ADF originated in Uganda in the 1990s but moved to DRC in 2002, where it has killed thousands. In 2018, it established its affiliation with ISIS.

All By Design: How Nigeria’s Islamic Extremists Get Away with Killing So Many Christians

Many Nigerian Christians feel this chronic cycle of violence and impunity is all by design, and that their country has people in high places who have a vested interest in letting the cycle continue. “The Nigerian security forces, especially the military and police crack squads (special operations units), are the greatest problem facing the country’s Christians.”

Violence Sweeps Through Nigerian Christian Villages, Leaving More Than 40 Dead In Latest Targeted Attack

A renewed wave of violence swept through two Christian villages in Taraba state, leaving more than 40 Christians dead and dozens displaced in what survivors describe as a “silent slaughter.” The attacks, carried out early Saturday morning, targeted the villages of Munga Lelau and Magami in Karim-Lamido County. Entire families were killed, and numerous homes were set ablaze. Survivors were forced to flee with nothing.

How Media Outlets Avoid the Religious Aspects of Violence in Nigeria

You would think it’s hard to overlook the religious motivation of a massacre when the victims are all Christian and the massacre takes place on Christmas, Palm Sunday, or Easter. But many people who work in media have proven themselves almost uncannily adept at avoiding the religious motivation behind such violence.

Mike Pompeo: Radical Islamic Terrorism Can Not Be Defeated Without Naming It Precisely For What It Is

Make no mistake: While the geographic caliphate of ISIS has been destroyed, its ideology lives on. These groups have developed sophisticated recruitment strategies that use social media to radicalize predominantly young men around the world, including inside the United States.

God Answers Prayer, Miraculously Protecting Kidnapped Tennessee Pastor During Deadly Shootout

The gang members who took the 45-year-old pastor at gunpoint from the church he planted in South Africa in 2018 were demanding a ransom. That's when South Africa's elite police unit, known as the Hawks, responded with tactical precision. Three of Sullivan's captors were shot dead trying to escape in a vehicle with Sullivan.

In An Area Once Under Communist Rule, 430K Ethiopians Gathered To Hear Franklin Graham Preach The Gospel

When he was living under the communist regime as a teenager and young adult, Abebe said that he could never imagine Meskel Square overflowing with hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians singing praises to God. “Now we can worship in this area,” he said. “This is a great victory..."

70 Christians In Congo Church Found Beheaded In Devastating Massacre By Islamic Terrorists

“Open Doors strongly condemns this heinous act of violence against civilians and calls upon civil societies, governments, and international organisations to prioritise civilian protection in eastern DRC where armed groups, such as the ADF, are operating.”

Thousands Of Christians Killed And Imprisoned For Their Faith In 2024, Report Reveals

In 2024, 4,476 Christians were murdered around the globe because of their beliefs. Another 4,744 were imprisoned. Those numbers are reported by Open Doors—a global ministry dedicated to serving persecuted believers—which has released its 2025 World Watch List.

1,500 Displaced As Terrorists Raid, Burn Christian Communities In Nigeria

The data report records that of the Christians killed for their faith in 2024, 82% of them were in Nigeria. More Christians are killed in Nigeria than in all other countries combined. Yet, the Biden State Department in 2021 withdrew Nigeria from the Countries of Particular Concern list, a record of countries that severely infringe upon religious freedom.

World news biblically understood

Africa

Africa