On 6 July 2026, the European Parliament adopted a resolution strongly condemning the ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria, with particular focus on the June 2026 armed attack on the Kawel community in Plateau State that caused dozens of deaths, injuries, and infrastructure damage. The resolution, tabled by MEPs Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Hannis Heide (S&D Group), and Catarina Vieira (Verts/ALE Group), calls on Nigerian authorities to conduct a transparent investigation into the massacre and break the cycle of impunity.
The Parliament denounces violence against civilians, especially women and girls, and rising abductions for ransom. It rejects oversimplified classifications of the crisis, emphasizing systemic drivers such as poverty, socio-economic marginalization, and resource conflicts exacerbated by climate change, desertification, and environmental degradation. The resolution notes that regional insecurity affects all faiths, with armed groups targeting civilians indiscriminately, and that structural failures—including lack of intelligence, independent accountability, effective judiciary, and unregulated vigilante groups—leave rural youth vulnerable to militant recruitment.
The Parliament urges Nigerian authorities to improve intelligence, early-warning systems, civilian protection, and regional mediation, and to adopt sustainable land-management policies. It calls on the European Commission and the European External Action Service to intensify conflict mediation and increase humanitarian aid, noting that severe food insecurity affects 36.2 million people in Nigeria. The resolution demands accountability for the Kawel massacre and pushes for EU-led mediation and humanitarian support to address root causes.