Women react during a march in solidarity with the victims of a Christmas Eve attack in Jos, Nigeria, on Jan. 6, 2024. LAGOS, Nigeria (RNS) — Ruth Abah, 28, no longer walks to her local church, St. Paul’s, which now lies in ashes. The destruction of St. Paul’s is a stark sign of how attacks by Fulani “jihadists,” who champion Islam but are disavowed by many Muslims, is hollowing out once-thriving Christian communities across the region. Known as Nigeria’s “food basket,” Benue state has become a center of the violence that has left thousands dead this year. In the first seven months of 2025 alone, Islamist groups killed 7,087 Christians and abducted 7,800 others because of their faith.