Christians targeted in systematic kidnapping campaign in Nigeria by jihadi herdsmen, experts say

FIRST ON FOX: The spate of kidnappings of Christians successful north-central Nigeria by mostly Muslim Fulani militants is simply a deliberate maneuver to target, bankrupt and destruct Christian communities, according to aggregate sources who spoke to Fox News Digital.

"Kidnapping for ransom is simply a strategical purpose of the Fulani militants," Steven Kerfas, pb researcher for the Observatory for Religious Freedom successful Africa (ORFA), told Fox News Digital. He added, "They bash it to money their terrorism, but besides to bankrupt the Christian community."

In Nigeria’s Middle Belt states, "these wide abductions are targeted," Kerfas said. "You person cases wherever 100 Christians volition beryllium marched into the wood and kept determination for months. You know, they are forced to cough retired ransoms they don't have, truthful they person to merchantability everything — [including] their farmland."

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Christians clasp signs arsenic they march connected the streets of Abuja during a supplication and penance for bid and information successful Nigeria successful Abuja connected March 1, 2020. - The Catholic Bishops of Nigeria gathered faithfuls arsenic good arsenic different Christians and different radical to commune for information and to denounce the barbaric killings of Christians by the Boko Haram insurgents and the incessant cases of kidnapping for ransom successful Nigeria.  (Photo by KOLA SULAIMON/AFP via Getty Images)

He continued, "They past done this subsistence agriculture. Now you unit them to merchantability the farmland that they are surviving connected to wage ransom. So by the clip you merchandise them, what bash they spell backmost to? Nothing."

Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK — a planetary Christian foundation supporting Christians persecuted for their faith, told Fox News Digital that, that "The kidnapping for ransom epidemic in north-central Nigeria doesn’t just impact Christians, but it’s clear that they are disproportionately singled out."

In Nigeria, Open Doors states that 4,407 Christians were abducted successful the north-central portion betwixt 2020 and 2025. When adjusted for comparative colonisation size, a Christian was 2.4 times much apt than a Muslim to beryllium abducted, the enactment claims.

Blyth said, "Tactics by kidnappers see raids connected churches and schools… priests and pastors are singled retired due to the fact that they represent high-value targets. Families and friends are often forced to merchantability land, livestock and spot to meet the kidnappers’ demands, and it can bankrupt families for generations," she said.

Blythe warned of the "horrific dilemma" Christians face: "Pay ransoms successful the anticipation of redeeming lives, (knowing) that outgo allows the attacks to continue, oregon garbage and risk their loved ones being slaughtered —sometimes families and communities wage the ransom, but it doesn’t lead to the kidnapped idiosyncratic being released alive."

A paper vendor pulls a paper with an nonfiction reporting U.S. President Donald Trump's connection to Nigeria implicit the attraction of Christians, astatine a paper basal successful Ojuelegba, Lagos, Nigeria, Nov. 2, 2025.  (Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters)

International Christian Concern reported that a pastor who had been kidnapped successful August of past twelvemonth successful north-central Nigeria, the Rev. James Audu Issa, was held for respective weeks, and past killed – adjacent though a ransom had been paid.

"In the (Nigerian) Middle Belt, they kidnap Christians, they kidnap the clergy, they abduct women. They hardly kidnap immoderate Muslims," Nigerian lawyer Jabez Musa told Fox News Digital. Musa is simply a pseudonym, utilized to support the lawyer’s identity.

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He said, "The crushed for these ransom demands is to economically weaken Christians. That is the mode Christians look astatine it."

The lawyer added, successful April this past twelvemonth 1 church, the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), said they had to wage 300 cardinal naira ($205,000) successful ransom to kidnappers, for astir 50 of their members who were kidnapped successful Kaduna State and Plateau State. Payments specified arsenic these spot an unbearable fiscal strain connected the religion and affected families."

Funerals for immoderate 27 Christians who were reportedly killed by Islamist Fulani tribesmen successful the colony of Bindi Ta-hoss, Nigeria connected July, 28, 2025 (Courtesy: Christian Solidarity International (CSI))

Kerfas added, "The Fulani militants are connected a jihad, and, of course, they request to money that jihad. So the Christians being abducted person to cough retired immense sums arsenic ransoms."

Christian communities are successful the bulk successful Nigeria’s Middle Belt. But the claimed extremity of the Fulani militants of wiping retired the Christian communities done kidnapping makes their aboriginal hopeless and bleak.

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Kerfas warned, "If you don't wage ransom, you get killed. And sometimes, adjacent aft paying the ransom, you inactive get killed."

Fox News Digital reached retired to the Nigerian government.