Violence Escalates in Nigeria as Fulani Herdsmen Target Christian Villages
In recent attacks that have heightened tensions in Nigeria, Fulani herdsmen reportedly killed several Christians in Nasarawa and Plateau states. The violence, which began earlier this week, continues to spark fear among local communities.
In the village of Sarkin Noma, Nasarawa state, residents were attacked late Thursday night. The assailants, identified by locals as Fulani herdsmen, killed two Christians and kidnapped one person. This invasion occurred while villagers were asleep, reported Dooshima Tse, who lives in the area.
Another resident, Musa Adamu, lamented the deteriorating security situation, stating, “Keana Local Government Area is no longer safe,” and called for urgent intervention by security forces following a series of kidnappings.
The attacks prompted hundreds of villagers to protest on Friday, blocking a major highway between Lafia and Makurdi.
Continuing Violence in Plateau State
Meanwhile, similar atrocities unfolded in Plateau state, where Fulani herdsmen killed two Christians on Thursday, adding to the 11 slain in previous attacks in Riyom and Mangu counties. The incident in Riyom County’s Rachi village also left five others injured, according to attorney Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri.
Mwantiri, in a press statement, called for government action, stressing that “the attacks cannot be left unchecked.” He noted that the violence seems coordinated, with armed groups recently appearing in the region.
Further violence occurred in Riyom County’s Kwi village, where six residents were killed on Saturday night, shortly after another individual was shot dead while harvesting maize.
In Mangu County, Fulani herdsmen killed a Christian farmer in his sleep and attacked Pushit village, killing three more, reported community leader Friday Dawan.
“We call upon security operatives in our local government area and Plateau state to rise to the challenge of curbing these unwarranted assaults on innocent lives,” Dawan urged.
The United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief highlighted in a 2020 report that while most Fulani are not extremists, some adhere to radical Islamist ideologies targeting Christians.
Christian leaders in Nigeria contend that these attacks aim to displace Christian communities to seize land, exacerbated by desertification affecting herdsmen’s livelihoods.
Nigeria remains perilous for Christians, topping Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List, with 3,100 of the 4,476 Christians killed worldwide during the reporting period located in Nigeria.
The violence has extended southwards, with the emergence of Lakurawa, a jihadist group tied to al-Qaeda’s Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin in Mali, further complicating the security landscape.
Nigeria ranks seventh among the 50 countries where Christians face the highest levels of discrimination and persecution.
This article was originally published at Christian Daily International–Morning Star News
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
