Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – "Faith and hope in times of turbulence." The title of the Easter message, signed by Msgr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of Sokoto, already foreshadowed what happened during the Easter holidays. More than 30 people were killed on Easter Sunday in coordinated attacks by armed groups in parts of Benue State and southern Kaduna State. In Benue State, at least 17 people were killed in Mbalom, in the Gwer East Local Government Area, while in Kaduna State, at least 15 more lost their lives in several attacks on villages. According to eyewitnesses, the attacks were coordinated by at least dozens of heavily armed men who simultaneously targeted churches and residential areas. In Kaduna State, the army announced that it had freed 31 hostages after an attack on the village of Ariko during the Easter celebrations. At least five people were found dead, while local residents report that at least seven were killed and others abducted. Worshippers who had gathered for Easter services at the local First Ecwa Church and the Catholic Church of St. Augustine were particularly targeted. The violence also affected other states, such as Zamfara, where on Holy Saturday, April 4, armed men invaded the villages of Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji in the Bukkuyum region, abducting more than 150 people, mostly women and children. In his Easter message, Bishop Kukah emphasized that the insecurity affecting Nigeria has turned into a humanitarian crisis, with thousands dead, millions of displaced people, and communities torn apart.
" After over 20 years and well over 20,000 corpses… the grim harvester still roams freely across the country," he declared. The Easter message from the bishops of Nigeria, signed by the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso of Kaduna, also focuses on the difficult situation facing Nigerians. "Do not give up now, hold fast to hope!" is the appeal from the Nigerian bishops.
"The suffering of Nigerians today finds meaning in the Cross of Christ," the message states, emphasizing that Christ's death and resurrection offer consolation and hope. In their message, the CBCN emphasizes that the difficulties Nigerians face are the direct consequence of years of government marked by selfishness and greed, nepotism and tribalism, and a total lack of commitment to the common good. Despite the ongoing violence, the Bishops recall that the power of the Resurrection ensures that "weeping may last a night, but joy comes in the morning." (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 8/4/2026)
