Holy Week Massacre: 113 Christians Slaughtered for Following Jesus

While Christians around the world gathered on Palm Sunday to celebrate the beginning of Holy Week, a wave of violence swept through central Nigeria, leaving over 113 Christians and civilians dead.

Most of the victims were attacked while they slept in their homes. Fulani militants—a group with a documented history of targeting Christians—launched coordinated assaults in both Plateau and Benue States. Entire villages were set ablaze, families were gunned down, and homes were turned to ash. This all occurred during one of the holiest weeks on the Christian calendar.

🔴 Watch the Full Video Here

Prefer to watch instead of read? I cover everything in detail in the latest video on the Christian Warrior Training YouTube channel. From what happened, who the attackers really are, and how Christians—especially missionaries—can protect themselves.

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What Happened in Nigeria During Holy Week

On the night of Palm Sunday, armed militants attacked the Christian village of Tilengpan Pushit in Plateau State. Survivors described the horror: gunshots in the dark, children screaming, and houses being set on fire with families still inside.

Over 50 Christians were confirmed dead from that single attack. Days later, in nearby Benue State, at least 56 more people were murdered in similar assaults. These back-to-back attacks brought the death toll to over 113 during Holy Week.

These were not isolated incidents. They were coordinated and intentionally targeted Christian communities—timed during a holy season to send a message.

Who Are the Fulani Militants?

The Fulani are a large nomadic Muslim ethnic group spread across West Africa. However, it’s not the entire Fulani population behind these atrocities—it’s the radicalized factions with ties to jihadist terror groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

These militants often carry out attacks that mirror jihadist tactics: mass killings, arson, and targeting of Christian holidays and gatherings.

U.S. State Department reports and organizations like Open Doors have classified Fulani militant attacks as part of the broader Islamist persecution campaign against Christians in Nigeria.

Why This Is More Than a Land Dispute

Western media often downplay this violence by framing it as a "land conflict" between nomadic herders and settled farmers. But the pattern is clear: the victims are almost always Christians, and the timing of the attacks aligns with major Christian holidays.

Many on the ground—including local government officials and aid groups—are calling it what it is: religious cleansing disguised as tribal violence. Corruption, weak government responses, and intentional inaction only worsen the crisis.

How Christian Missionaries Can Protect Themselves

For those serving in Nigeria or preparing for a mission trip, here are actionable steps to stay safe:

• Avoid travel during high-risk times like Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost.

• Train in situational awareness and defensive escape planning.

• Print maps of local consulates and embassies, including those from allied countries.

• Partner with trusted locals to navigate danger zones.

• Plan evacuation routes and identify safe houses in advance.

• Register with your country's embassy for security alerts.

• Use secure communication apps like Signal. Delete Chinese apps like TikTok or DJI before traveling.

• Create a spiritual accountability team back home for support.

• Train local churches in trauma response and community resilience.

We are called not just to pray for the persecuted Church, but to act. Proverbs 24:11 reminds us: "Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter."

Let us never be silent when the Body of Christ is under attack.

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