Pastor Butchered on His Own Farm: Terrorists Kill Christian Leader in Nigeria's Kogi State
Armed bandits killed Pastor Gideon Etsu and farmer Joseph Jones within 24 hours in Kogi State Nigeria as violence against Christians escalates.
Pastor and Cashew Farmer Murdered by Gunmen in Nigeria's Kogi State as Attacks on Christians Escalate
Armed bandits killed two Christians within 24 hours in Yagba West Local Government Area, Kogi State, Nigeria, sending shockwaves through the farming communities of the nation's north central region.
Pastor Gideon Etsu, a Nupe cleric from Akpata'aje in Ejiba community and secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Ejiba, was shot and killed on his cashew farm on Sunday afternoon, February 22, 2026. His body was found severely mutilated, and his locally made firearm was destroyed by his attackers.
The day before, on Saturday, February 21, Joseph Jones, an indigene of Odo Ere community, was killed while picking cashew nuts along the Saminaka Road axis in Odo Eri. A companion who was with Jones reportedly went missing following the attack.
According to local residents, the attackers arrived on approximately 10 motorcycles carrying rifles and retreated into nearby forest corridors once security units responded.
His attackers were suspected to be armed bandits operating within the forests around the communities.
The Yagba West Local Government Chairman, Hon. Tosin Olokun, expressed deep sorrow over the killings and issued a security advisory urging farmers to avoid accessing remote farmlands without adequate security presence.
The chairman extends heartfelt condolences to the families of late Joseph Jones and Pastor Gideon Etsu.
These two deaths bring the total number of cashew farmers attacked in Yagba West to approximately six in recent days alone. From 2020 to 2024, more than 1,356 farmers were killed in bandit attacks across northern and central Nigeria, with the majority in north central states.
The Kogi State Government condemned the killings and pledged intensified patrols in vulnerable communities. The Kogi State Police Command confirmed that investigations are ongoing.
Gunmen Murder Christian Leader and Farmer in Kogi State Nigeria Amid Surge in Bandit Violence
The killings reflect a broader pattern of escalating violence against Christian communities in Nigeria's Middle Belt. Yagba West, once known as a peaceful farming region, has become a frontline in the ongoing crisis of armed banditry and targeted attacks on rural Christians.
Pastor Etsu's role as CAN secretary in Ejiba makes this attack particularly alarming, as it signals that community and religious leaders are being directly targeted. The destruction of his weapon and the mutilation of his body point to a level of brutality designed to terrorize the wider Christian population.
The Crusader's Opinion
Another week, another slaughtered pastor in Nigeria. Pastor Gideon Etsu served his community. He led the Christian Association of Nigeria in his town. He was butchered on his own farm and left mutilated like an animal. Where is the global outrage? Where are the United Nations statements? Where are the trending hashtags?
If a Christian mob had murdered an imam on his farm in any Western country, every news outlet on earth would run it for a month. But when armed terrorists systematically hunt down Christians in Nigeria's farming belt, the world barely whispers. This is not random violence. This is a targeted campaign against Christ's people, and the blood of the martyrs cries out from the ground.
The Nigerian government's "condolences" and "pledged patrols" are hollow words over fresh graves. Christians in the Middle Belt deserve protection, not platitudes.
Take Action
- Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to support persecuted Christians in Nigeria and across Africa.
- Support Open Doors in their mission to strengthen and serve persecuted Christians in over 70 countries, including Nigeria.
- Give to International Christian Concern (ICC) which provides emergency relief and advocacy for persecuted believers in Nigeria's Middle Belt.
- Contact the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC at (202) 800 7201 or info@nigerianembassyusa.org and demand stronger protection for Christian communities in Kogi State.
- Pray specifically for the families of Pastor Gideon Etsu and Joseph Jones, and for the missing companion of Jones who has not been found.
- Share this story on social media to break the silence on Christian persecution in Nigeria. Use #NigeriaChristianGenocide and #ProtectNigerianChristians.
