Headlines
Trump Moves to End Killing of Christians in Nigeria, Others by Fulani Militia
The United States has strongly condemned the recent wave of brutal attacks targeting Christians in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa, calling the violence horrific and pledging to work with international partners to address the crisis.
The condemnation follows a series of deadly incidents in recent weeks, including the massacre of 27 Christians in the Nigerian village of Bindi Ta-hoss by Islamist Fulani militants. Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror, with many victims, many of them women and children, burned alive while seeking refuge in a church.
“I lost my wife and second daughter in the attack,” survivor Solomon Sunday told reporters. “They were burned alive.”
In a separate incident on July 27, 49 Christians were butchered with machetes during prayers in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Authorities blame Islamist militants from the Allied Democratic Forces, a group affiliated with ISIS.
Across the region, Islamist extremists, including Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa, are accused of targeting Christians for killing, displacement, and land seizure.
The Trump administration, through both the White House and the State Department, has vowed to respond decisively.
“The Trump administration condemns in the strongest terms this horrific violence against Christians,” the White House said, emphasising that religious freedom is both a moral duty and a U.S. foreign policy priority.
Human rights organisations warn that the violence amounts to an ongoing campaign of “ethno-religious cleansing.” John Eibner, president of Christian Solidarity International, told Fox News Digital that in Nigeria’s Plateau State alone, over 165 Christians have been killed in the last four months.
“People are being killed like chickens, and nothing is being done,” added local youth leader D’Young Mangut.
According to Open Doors, more Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in the rest of the world combined. Over the past decade, jihadist violence in sub-Saharan Africa has claimed around 150,000 lives and displaced more than 16 million Christians. In Plateau State, over 64 communities have been reportedly taken over by armed Fulani militants.
Religious leaders say the violence is systematic and unchecked. Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, who lost 20 parishioners in a recent attack, accused militants of seeking to turn parts of Nigeria into an Islamic State, while victims’ families say they are “tired of condolences” and demand real protection.
Advocates are urging African governments to enforce justice, restore displaced communities, and deploy security forces to protect vulnerable villages.
“For too long, nobody has been talking about the horrific wholesale slaughter of Christians,” said Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland. “The Western world needs to wake up and be outraged.”
The convention produced the Tanimu Turaki-led factional national executives of the party.
Attention has shifted to the Supreme Court, which has fixed April 30 (today) for judgment in the leadership tussle within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
A five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba will resolve the appeal filed by the David Mark-led faction concerning the authentic leadership of the party.
Also on Thursday, the court is expected to determine the leadership dispute rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Two PDP factions—one led by Kabir Turaki and the other by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike—are laying claim to the leadership of the party.
The Supreme Court had on April 22 reserved judgment in the ADC crisis to a date to be communicated to the parties involved in the tussle.
However, on Tuesday, the ADC formally wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, pleading for the quick delivery of judgment in the leadership tussle at the national level.
The party claimed it would suffer irreparable harm if judgment in the protracted battle was not delivered within the period allowed by the Electoral Act for fielding candidates for the 2027 general elections.
It stated in part: “Without the delivery of judgment within the next three days from the date of this letter, the ADC stands the grave and irreversible risk of being excluded from participating in the 2027 general elections.
“This would disenfranchise millions of Nigerians who have subscribed to the ideals of the ADC and deny them their constitutional right to freely associate and contest elections through a political party of their choice.”
At the April 22 hearing, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, who represented David Mark, urged the Supreme Court to allow the appeal, arguing that the apex court had earlier, on March 21, 2025, held that “no court has jurisdiction to entertain matters bordering on the internal affairs of political parties.”
During the hearing, Okutepa urged the apex court to hold that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
However, Robert Emukperu, SAN, who represented the first respondent, Nafiu Gombe, urged the court to dismiss the appeal and affirm the judgment of the lower court, which held that the suit was premature.
It will be recalled that a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal dismissed Mark’s appeal, ruling that it was premature and filed without leave of the trial court.
In the PDP matter, the first appeal, marked SC/CV/164/2026, stems from a decision of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who restrained the party from proceeding with its planned convention pending the determination of a suit filed by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido.
On November 14, the court issued a final order restraining the PDP from conducting its national convention.
Justice Lifu held that Lamido was “unjustly denied” the opportunity to obtain a nomination form to contest for national chairman, in violation of the PDP constitution and internal regulations.
The Court of Appeal later upheld the decision on March 9, prompting the PDP to appeal.
The second appeal, SC/CV/166/2026, was filed by the PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC), and National Executive Committee (NEC).
It arose from a judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho, which stopped the party from holding its Ibadan national convention.
The Court of Appeal upheld that decision, agreeing that INEC should not validate the outcome of the convention.
After hearing all arguments, the Supreme Court reserved judgment, stating that the date would be communicated to the parties.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has lambasted the administration of President Bola Tinubu over insecurity bedeviling the country.
In an interview with News Central, Obasanjo said any government that cannot protect lives and property of its citizens has no basis to exist.
The former leader was reacting to the recent wave of insecurity, which has confronted Nigeria, resulting in the killing of several citizens and abduction of others.
“Let me tell you, the government that cannot give security of life and property of its citizen has no right of existence.
“The elected members of our National Assembly have no right to fix their own salary and their own emolument.
“It’s not in our constitution for them to do that. It’s the revenue mobilization and allocation commission that should do it,” he said.
