Video: violence erupts on a church gathering in Nigeria 

The church in Nigeria mourns once again this week following an attack on a gathering in Kwara State. Their worship was abruptly cut short by the sound of gunfire and the intrusion of attackers, resulting in two men killed and another individual injured. Please pray for our Nigerian brothers and sisters.

The past week in Nigeria has seen multiple assaults by extremists, compounding the sense of fear burdening the lives of Christians and other vulnerable Nigerians. The most recent attack occurred on Tuesday 18 November in Kwara State, where the service of Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku was cut short by the sound of gunfire and the eruption of attackers into their gathering. The latest information reports at least two individuals killed during the assault and one injured. 

Worship silenced 

Caught on the church’s live broadcast, believers are seen ducking at the sound of bullets fired. Their hands lifted in worship drop suddenly and they begin to flee to the back of the building.  

An attacker carrying a gun is seen moving into the building, taking bags from the pews and raiding any valuables in sight. The gunfire continues and another attacker enters the frame. 

The police of Kwara State released a statement following the events of Tuesday, saying that the force ‘swiftly responded to the sound of gunshots emanating from the outskirts of the town, prompting the hoodlums to flee into the bush’. 

Open Doors local sources suggest that the attackers are Fulani militants, a group which is responsible for many violent acts across Kwara State. 

A call to pray for the Nigerian church 

In such days of violence, the need for your prayers is as great as ever.  

“It is immensely distressing to witness this violence, but this is an almost daily reality for Christians in northern Nigeria, for nearly two decades. We can’t look away, no matter how difficult it is,” says Jo Newhouse*, an Open Doors expert and spokesperson on sub-Saharan Africa. “We urgently call on the Nigerian government to do everything in its power to protect communities and places of worship from these attacks. The attackers can be identified and should be brought to justice.  

“Finally, we call on the church to continue praying for Nigeria as a country and the church in northern Nigeria that has experienced years of ongoing violence. Pray for their faith to be rooted in God and their eyes to be fixed on Jesus who has already overcome.” 

*Name changed for security reasons.