The Religious Selection System in Militant Abductions
In the shadowy world of the Fulani militia’s two-tier prison system, faith plays a crucial role in determining the fate of hostages. The experiences of those captured reveal a disturbing reality where religion and ethnicity govern the treatment of individuals, ultimately influencing the likelihood of their safe return home.
Captivity Based on Ethnicity and Religion
Sunday Cletas was abducted on February 28, 2026, in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State. His harrowing experience was not an isolated incident but rather part of a larger, calculated framework based on two primary factors: religion and ethnicity. Survivors’ testimonies, bolstered by years of field research, highlight the systematic discrimination against Christian and Muslim abductees by the Fulani Militia (FEM) in northern Nigeria, an often-ignored aspect of the ongoing security crisis that has displaced numerous communities across Kaduna, Plateau, Kogi, and other regions.
Clear Division Among Hostages
The classification of captives begins the moment they are taken. According to Cletus, Fulani individuals are spared from abduction due to their ethnic ties. This practice is openly communicated, not merely inferred. Once captured, a sorting mechanism dictates the realities that each group of abductees will face going forward.
Distinct Experiences of Captivity
Survivors have consistently described the conditions of confinement as divergent experiences. Muslim detainees generally endure a more relaxed environment, facing less physical or sexual assault and often receiving better nutrition and more freedom of movement. Many are permitted to fulfill their religious obligations, grounded in a sense of collective solidarity. Conversely, Christian captives endure a starkly different reality, characterized by systemic abuse and psychological torment. Reports reveal that men suffer beatings not as punishment for misconduct, but as a means of establishing control, while women experience an elevated risk of sexual violence and intimidation.
Ransom Disparities Reveal Systematic Bias
The inequity extends beyond the confines of captivity, impacting the financial dynamics of hostage release. Interviews with survivors and families in North Central Nigeria indicate that Muslim hostages are often released for comparatively lower ransoms and under quicker negotiations, thanks in part to informal community intermediaries. In contrast, Christian families are often faced with exorbitant ransom demands, prolonged negotiation periods, and frequent threats of violence, even when they comply with demands. Tragically, there are instances where Christian abductees were murdered despite their families’ efforts to meet ransom requirements.
A Pervasive Religious Hierarchy
The testimonies gathered over the years illustrate a meticulously structured system rather than random violence. Religion significantly influences every stage of the abduction process—from who gets targeted to how they are treated, the conditions of their release, and their chances of survival. This pattern is not unique to individual captors; it represents a broader operational logic deeply embedded within the Fulani militias that reflects a religious hierarchy assigning varying values to human life.
Confronting the Underlying Crisis
The experiences of Cletus, who was fortunate enough to return home, stand in stark contrast to many others who did not survive. The collective weight of survivor accounts exposes critical dimensions of the security crisis in northern Nigeria that policymakers have largely failed to address. The violence is far from indiscriminate; suffering is unevenly distributed, and the religious undercurrents influencing this crisis extend beyond the moment of the initial attack. They infuse every aspect of the abduction cycle—from raids and detainment to negotiations and executions. Until this reality is recognized and confronted, affected communities will continue to navigate the repercussions largely on their own.
Stephen Cephas is an investigative journalist and senior research analyst at the African Religious Freedom Observatory, as well as a publisher of the Middlebelt Times. Over more than a decade, he has documented issues related to religious persecution, terrorism, and forced migration in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
