UMVA has learned that high-ranking police and government leaders in Nigeria have gathered to discuss a critical issue: the policing crisis that has left Christian villages vulnerable to extremist attacks.
The Fulani extremists who terrorize Christian communities often arrive in massive groups, armed with AK-47s and riding motorcycles, launching pre-dawn raids on unsuspecting farming villages. The Nigerian law restricts gun ownership, requiring presidential or Inspector-General licensing for any firearm, but this hasn't stopped the attacks.
Many Christian villages are defenseless, while others rely on hunters with homemade, single-shot muzzle-loaders to buy time for families to flee. But when communities fight back, police have confiscated even these makeshift weapons, leaving them even more vulnerable.
Nigerian Christians are now pushing for the right to form state-level police forces to protect their homes and families through legislative pressure. A constitutional amendment is required, but it has yet to clear the National Assembly.
Open Doors ranks Nigeria as the deadliest country on earth for Christians, with 3,490 of the 4,849 Christians killed for their faith worldwide in 2025. The U.S. House estimates that between 50,000 and 125,000 Christians have been martyred since 2009.
The killing continues unabated: in January 2026, nearly 175 worshippers were abducted from churches in Kaduna State, and dozens more were killed across Plateau, Benue, and Taraba states. On May 15, over 80 pupils, students, and teachers were kidnapped in simultaneous attacks in Oyo and Borno states.
Many of the worst attacks occur in remote villages with limited infrastructure and security forces. The government claims that by the time military or police units arrive, the attackers have already fled. But locals report that police or army units were nearby, yet refused to respond until after the hostilities had ended.
The federal government controls the only legally recognized police force in the country, leaving rural Christian communities defenseless. Nigerian church leaders have concluded that humanitarian appeals are no longer sufficient, with Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama framing self-defense as a matter of "natural justice."
Nigeria's umbrella body for Christian denominations has moved beyond moral statements to legislative demands. The Christian Association of Nigeria convened the National Church Denominational Leaders Summit 2026 in Abuja, demanding immediate passage of the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill.
The legislation is now advancing through the process, with President Tinubu's Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila briefing correspondents on significant progress. A constitutional amendment is expected in the near future, following months of consultations among the Executive, the National Assembly, and security authorities.
The National Assembly has been pushed by events, renewing calls for implementation of previously adopted recommendations on decentralizing Nigeria's security architecture. The bill is not yet passed, but the Senate has officially committed to concluding the constitutional amendment process before the end of 2026.
Despite obstacles, including concerns about governors abusing control over state police forces, Nigerians are demanding the legal right to protect themselves through constitutional reform. For the first time since 1999, the constitutional barrier to state-level policing appears closer to falling than at any point in Nigeria's history.
