Massacre in Nigeria's Kawel Village leaves 22 dead

On the night of 22 June, armed gunmen identified as Fulani militia attacked the Christian village of Kawel in Plateau State, Nigeria. The assault killed 22 people and wounded many others, including patients at the local health centre where six people were shot dead. During the violence a heavily pregnant woman escaped the clinic and gave birth amid the chaos, naming her newborn "Na'anbammun" – "God has saved us".

The attack is part of a broader pattern of sectarian violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt, where Christian communities face frequent raids. Human‑rights groups say Nigeria is now one of the most dangerous countries for Christians worldwide. Survivors described the scene as horrific, with bodies buried in a mass grave and the military withdrawing soon after, leaving the community traumatised and fearful of future attacks.