Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed the killing of 15 Christians in several attacks in Adamawa State, north-eastern Nigeria.
On 29 December ISWAP published details of an attack on the village of Mondag, in which 11 “hostile Christians” were gunned down and a church building burned along with around 100 houses.
In a subsequent social media post ISWAP said that it would continue to target Christians, and that they could only “spare their blood” by converting to Islam or paying the jizya tax as dhimmi (subjugated people).
Fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province in north-eastern Nigeria [Image credit: The New Humanitarian]
This incident followed an armed assault on the village of Timboa on 26 December that led to the death of four Christians, the capture of five others, and the burning of around 50 homes.
ISWAP appear to be framing the targeting of Christians as retaliation to US airstrikes that struck another Islamic State (IS – also known as ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) affiliate in Sokoto State, north-western Nigeria, on Christmas Day.
Read more: What is happening in Nigeria?
Tens of thousands of Christians have been slaughtered by Islamist terrorists in northern and Middle Belt Nigeria since 2009, leading church leaders in the country to argue that genocide is taking place.
Most deaths have been caused by the Fulani Islamist militia in Middle Belt states such as Plateau and Kaduna, but ISWAP targeting of Christians in the country’s north-east has increased in recent months. On 11 November four were killed in Borno State, the area where ISWAP is strongest.
In mid-2025 both the IS affiliate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the Islamic State Central Africa Province) and the central IS leadership published demands for Christians in Africa to convert to Islam, pay jizya or face death.
How you can pray
Ask the Lord to strengthen His people facing such threats. Pray that He will deliver them from the hands of their enemies who persecute them (Psalm 31:15, ESV). Ask that all Nigerians who want to live free from terrorism and insecurity will be enabled to do so.
