‘Total collapse of human security’ – mother gives birth as gunmen attack Nigeria village

A heavily pregnant mother was forced to offer birth in the midst of a deadly village attack in central Nigeria after gunfire and chaos caused her to enter labour from shock and trauma, in keeping with Christian charity Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART).

Blessing was expecting her second child when armed men on motorbikes stormed her community in Plateau State, shooting at residents and setting homes ablaze. 

As panic spread and the residents ran for his or her lives, the acute fear and physical strain reportedly triggered trauma-induced labour – a condition wherein severe stress may cause the body to enter early delivery.

Speaking to a representative of HART, she said: “I begged my baby not to come back.”

Carrying her three-year-old son, the mother fled into nearby bushland as bullets flew round her, and the shock of the assault caused her waters to interrupt. 

After escaping the immediate violence, she found refuge in a church close by, where one Nigerian soldier was said to be defending those sheltering inside from the attackers. 

There, with gunfire still ringing out in the gap and no medical assistance available, the mother went into labour. Her mother-in-law helped deliver the infant on the church floor.

“It was way more painful than the birth of my first child. I felt like my bones were breaking,” she recalled, and despite the circumstances, she gave birth to a healthy daughter. 

She later asked the soldier who had shielded them to decide on the kid’s name. 

The baby is believed to be the youngest survivor of the attack, which killed 52 people.

HART says the Plateau mother’s story reflects the escalating insecurity facing communities in central Nigeria.

The Christian charity says over 700 villages within the region have been attacked since 2009, with an estimated 20,000 people killed. 

It described the violence as causing “1000’s of killings, countless injuries and displacement that’s off the charts”.

Senior Programmes Manager for HART, Hassan John, said he had personally visited greater than 150 villages either during or after attacks and “witnessed probably the most unspeakable atrocities”.

He added: “I can say categorically that none of those villages have received adequate security or humanitarian assistance from the Nigerian Government or elsewhere. Survivors are forced to depend on aid from local churches, small NGOs like HART, or they receive almost no aid in any respect,” he said. 

Similarly, Chief Executive of HART, Sam Mason, said: “After 15 years of inter-communal violence, we’re now seeing a complete collapse of human security in parts of Central Nigeria.”

Highlighting the plight of moms in communities affected by the violence who’re enduring severe trauma, and the displaced children who’re increasingly vulnerable to “neglect and exploitation”, he said: “The Nigerian Government owes these communities a transparent plan to stop the killings – with no more dither or delay.”

The account comes amid fresh reports of accelerating violence against Christian communities across Nigeria.

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) recently claimed that the lives of 1,402 Christians were taken in the primary 96 days of 2026, between New Year’s Day and Easter Monday. 

The group also reported that 1,800 Christians were abducted throughout the same period, with 180 of those abducted allegedly killed in captivity.

The report said violence intensified during Holy Week, with over 100 deaths reported, including 34 on Easter Sunday alone. 

Recent incidents cited include the killing of no less than 21 Christians in Chibok County in southern Borno State on March 30, and a Palm Sunday attack near Jos in Plateau State, where reports said greater than 40 Christians lost their lives.

Nigeria’s insecurity drew international attention in December 2025 when US President Donald Trump authorised airstrikes targeting what he described as “Terrorist Scum…who’ve been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians”. 

A recent Channel 4 documentary also explored allegations of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, with a deal with the worsening violence in central regions.