Rising Violence Against Christians in Nigeria and Syria Sparks Urgent Calls for Prayer

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As Christians, we’re told that following Jesus will require us to “pick up our cross.” Thankfully, for most of us, bearing this cross doesn’t include severe physical persecution. For Christians in Nigeria and Syria, however, the opposite is true.

On April 15th, 2026, Christians in Nigeria and Syria faced another bloodbath without anyone to take up for them. According to CBN News, “Islamist militants are attacking churches, villages, and Christian neighborhoods while governments do little to stop them.”

While Christian communities around the world like these have faced immense persecution for decades, the violence is only getting worse. In fact, in specific parts of Nigeria, being a Christian can now result in the death sentence. Talk about loving the Lord unto death.

During the week of Easter, Islamist gunmen killed more than 60 believers in villages, businesses, and churches for no reason other than their faith. On Palm Sunday, dozens were killed in the city of Jos. As death tolls continue to rise, Todd Nettleton, Vice President of Voice of the Martyrs, is closely monitoring this growing epidemic.

"The gunmen were shouting 'Allahu Akbar' as they were firing on the Christians. So, that is not just a criminal activity with a clear religious motivation...the fact that it took place in what I'm told is a 100% Christian area of the city, is also a sign of Christians being targeted," he insisted. "I don't know about the word genocide, but it is clear that Christians are being targeted."

Since the attack, it’s been confirmed that Fulani gunmen carried out the attacks. While it’s suspected that these attacks aren’t religious, but the result of tribal disputes, innocent Christians are still dying. According to Judd Saul, founder of Equipping the Persecuted, it doesn’t matter who is doing the killing, but what Nigeria and Syria are doing to stop them:

"If they really believe that, yeah. I don't know what to say. They've fallen for a complete lie because I've been, I've been working in Nigeria since 2011, and the Fulani will tell you to your face that they want to get rid of Christianity," he explained.

According to CBN, 15 years ago, more than 2.5 million Christians lived in Syria. Today, that number has been reduced to 300,000 as a result of numerous bloody massacres. Outside the U.S. and beyond, Nettleton asks all nations to pray for those in immediate danger:

"Let's pray for God's protection. But let's also pray that they experience the presence of Christ. I pray that for myself. I pray that for my own church," he explained. "Let's pray for opportunities for our brothers and sisters to share the gospel, even sometimes with their persecutors."

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Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.