The International Society for Civil Rights and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has alleged that no fewer than 1,402 Christians were killed across Nigeria between January 1 and April 6, 2026, amid what it described as escalating persecution and targeted violence.
In a statement issued on Monday, the group claimed that the killings and abductions of Christians have intensified in the first quarter of the year, despite repeated denials by the Nigerian government that there is any form of targeted religious violence in the country.
The statement was jointly signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, Head of Intersociety; Chidinma Evangeline Udegbunam, Head of Campaign and Publicity; and Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Head of Civil Liberties and Rule of Law.
According to Intersociety, 1,402 Christians were killed and 1,800 abducted within the first 96 days of 2026, covering the period from January 1 to April 6.
The group said the figures increased sharply in the weeks leading to Easter. It alleged that 350 of the reported deaths occurred between late March and Easter Monday, including 102 deaths recorded during Holy Week (March 28 to April 4), 34 deaths on Easter Sunday alone, and 20 deaths between March 20 and March 27. An additional 16 deaths were also cited in what it described as “dark figures.”
Intersociety further claimed that about 180 of the deaths were linked to abducted victims who allegedly died in captivity. It alleged that such deaths may have resulted from torture, starvation, untreated injuries, or other forms of inhumane treatment.
The group asserted that, based on its analysis, approximately one in every ten abducted Christians does not return alive.
READ ALSO: Mass abduction rocks North-West Nigeria, 30 Christians abducted
In its statement, Intersociety accused security agencies of bias and alleged that “state actor involvement” has deepened unchecked. It further alleged that despite what it described as significant spending by the Federal Government on international lobbying to counter claims of a “Christian genocide,” attacks and church persecutions have continued to spread.
The rights group also claimed that some government-affiliated Islamic groups had openly expressed extremist positions, although it did not provide specific evidence in the statement.
The Nigerian government has consistently rejected allegations of targeted killings of Christians, maintaining that insecurity in the country is driven largely by banditry, terrorism, and communal conflicts affecting citizens of various religious backgrounds.
Intersociety identified several states as major flashpoints for the reported killings and abductions. These include Benue State, Kaduna State, Borno State, Plateau State, Bauchi State, Zamfara State, Kebbi State, Taraba State, Adamawa State, and Niger State, among others.
The group lamented that thousands of displaced Christians are currently taking refuge in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps across affected regions, calling for urgent domestic and international intervention.
While reiterating its long-standing position that Christians in Nigeria face systematic persecution, Intersociety urged the international community to independently investigate the situation.