Abuja — "Protect mosques from jihadist attacks." This is the appeal issued by Bishop Bulus Yohanna of Kontagora and president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, one of the 36 States of the Federation, located in north-central Nigeria.

"For us, an attack on any place of worship, irrespective of religion, is an attack on the sanctity of places of worship and a threat to the wider community," Bishop Yohanna said in his homily during Mass celebrated on Sunday, August 30, at St Michael's Catholic Cathedral in Kontagora.

Referring to recent attacks against local Muslim communities (see Fides, 28/8/2026), Bishop Yohanna stressed: "The whole of Borgu Emirate, which includes Agwara and Borgu LGAs, needs strong and permanent security presence so that those in the rural communities can live without fear of being abducted."

The bishop's appeal follows a coordinated attack on five communities in Borgu Local Government Area on August 21, when armed men stormed mosques during Friday prayers and abducted hundreds of Muslim worshippers. The communities targeted were Dekara, Kpenya, Sabon Gida, Maciyan Gyada and Gidan Zana.

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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), of which Bishop Yohanna is president of the Niger State chapter, is the main organization that brings together Christian denominations in Nigeria. The Catholic Church is represented through the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria.

Last week, Nigeria's Catholic bishops strongly condemned indiscriminate attacks against communities across the country, regardless of religious affiliation, and called on the authorities to do everything possible to protect the population (see Fides, 28/8/2026).