Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has urged the Nigerian government to bring to justice those responsible for recent attacks targeting Christian communities across the country.
In a statement issued on Friday, Meloni condemned what she described as renewed violence against Christians and stressed that freedom of religion must be protected.
“We strongly condemn the renewed violence against Christian communities in Nigeria. Religious freedom is an inalienable right. We call on the Nigerian government to strengthen the protection of Christian and other religious groups and prosecute those responsible for this heinous attack. Italy stands with the victims and all communities that feel threatened because of their beliefs,” she said.
Her remarks came after fresh incidents of violence, including the abduction of worshippers in Kwara State earlier in the week. Gunmen invaded a church in Eruku on Tuesday evening, killing at least two people and abducting the pastor and several congregants, according to police and eyewitness accounts. The attack occurred days after 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a boarding school in Kebbi State.
The latest incident has intensified pressure on the federal government, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump accused Nigerian authorities of failing to protect Christian communities.
In response to public outcry, President Bola Tinubu postponed a planned trip to South Africa and Angola for the G20 and AU-EU summits to receive security briefings on both attacks. He also directed security agencies to track down the perpetrators in Kwara and ensure the safe return of the abducted schoolgirls, according to presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.
Local sources reported that the attackers in Kwara have allegedly demanded a N3 billion ransom. Chief Olusegun Olukotun, the Olori Eta of Eruku, confirmed that the kidnappers had contacted affected families, including his own, as four of his relatives were taken during the raid.
