At least 26 people were killed in three separate attacks over the Easter weekend in northern Nigeria, according to the Nigerian military and local officials.The deadliest attack took place on Saturday in the Mbalom community in the Gwer West area of Benue State, where at least 17 people were killed, reported AP. Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed the attack on Sunday, although he did not give a casualty figure.In a separate attack early Saturday morning, four police officers were killed after gunmen attacked a police headquarters in Borno State in northeastern Nigeria. Police spokesperson Kenneth Daso said the attackers belonged to an Islamic State-affiliated group and that the assault ended after an extended exchange of gunfire.A third attack happened on Sunday in Ariko village in Kaduna State, where five people were killed after gunmen opened fire during an Easter service, according to the army. The attackers have not been identified. The army said soldiers moved in after receiving a distress call and prevented the abduction of 31 people.“Regrettably, the remains of five victims already killed by the terrorists were also recovered at the scene,” the army said, as quoted by AP. “The fleeing terrorists are believed to have sustained significant casualties, as evidenced by blood trails along their escape routes.”Kaduna has continued to witness church attacks and repeated kidnappings. In January, more than 150 worshippers were abducted in Kurmin Wali, a village in the Kajuru area, around 60 kilometres from where Sunday’s attack took place.The violence in Benue reflects a broader pattern of insecurity in north-central Nigeria, where conflicts over land and grazing often turn deadly. These clashes frequently involve mostly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farming communities. Criminal gangs also operate in the area.US President Donald Trump and some American lawmakers have accused that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria, an allegation the Nigerian government has rejected. It has also dismissed claims describing the country’s worsening insecurity as a “Christian genocide.”On December 25, US carried out military strikes in Sokoto, reportedly targeting an Islamic State group operating in the region.
