Terrorists Kill 37 Christians in Plateau State, Nigeria

Fulani herders and others massacred ten on Sunday.

The terrorists attacked Kulben village, Mangu County, at about 8:40 p.m., an area resident said.

On August 14 in Riyom County, herders and others attacked a community high school in Kwi village, killing two Christian teachers, Rwang Danladi and his wife Sandra Danladi of BECO Comprehensive School, and injuring two other Christian staff members, said Jeremiah Nyam, a resident of the area.

Dantoro Gyang, principal of the school, confirmed the attack on the school and the killing of the couple by the herders.

In Barkin Ladi County, armed herders and terrorists on August 10 invaded two predominantly Christian communities, Banyit and Rahogot, suburbs of Heipang near the Jos airport, where they killed 21 Christians and wounded seven residents, area residents said.

“In the early hours at about 1 a.m., August 10, in Banyit community of Heipang District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Christians came under attacks from Fulani herdsmen,” Dalyop Ayuba said. “We were sleeping in our homes when armed Fulani herdsmen invaded our communities and shot at us. They killed 21 members of our two communities.”

Rwang Tengwong, spokesman for the local community development association, said in a press statement that Tapo village in Heipang District was also attacked on April 28, leaving four Christians dead.

“Fulani herdsmen were responsible for these attacks on Christians in these communities,” he said.

Alabo Alfred, spokesman for the Plateau State Command, described the August 10 attacks in Heipang as gunmen killing 17 people in Tagwam Lawuru village and then proceeding to Layowok village, where they killed three others.

“As a result of the attacks, several other people sustained varying degrees of gunshot injuries,” Alfred said in a press statement.

In Mangu County’s Nchiya village, another predominantly Christian community, herders and other terrorists on August 7 killed four Christians, said area resident Ezekiel Bako.

“The Christians in the village were attacked at about 11 p.m. on August 7 as they were asleep,” Bako said.

The Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA) confirmed the killing of the four Christians “by suspected Fulani invaders.”

“As usual, in commando style, they started shooting sporadically in the air to announce their arrival,” MDA officials said in a press statement.

“The military failed to take urgent steps to repel the killer herdsmen until they succeeded in their dastardly act, which has left us to believe that they are not there to protect our unarmed people,” the MDA officials stated. “The security agencies should by now know that we are the victims of terrorism by the Fulani militias. Otherwise, how would they explain that people are attacked in their sleep and [the terrorists] disappear unchallenged? Why are they grazing with their cattle on our crops after cutting it down, an act that takes place every week without being arrested?”

Also in Mangu County, a band of herdsmen on August 6 attacked Naje Baya Davwam on his farm in Binper Ruff village, Kombun District, another predominantly Christian community, destroying his crops, while the Christian escaped being killed, area resident John Amos said.

Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith in 2022, with 5,014, according to Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List (WWL) report. It also led the world in Christians abducted (4,726), sexually assaulted or harassed, forcibly married, or physically or mentally abused, and it had the most homes and businesses attacked for faith-based reasons. As in the previous year, Nigeria had the second most church attacks and internally displaced people.

“Militants from the Fulani, Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and others conduct raids on Christian communities, killing, maiming, raping and kidnapping for ransom or sexual slavery,” the WWL report noted. “This year has also seen this violence spill over into the Christian-majority south of the nation… Nigeria’s government continues to deny this is religious persecution, so violations of Christians’ rights are carried out with impunity.”