attacks allegedly perpetrated by cattle herders.
Herders frequently terrorize Christian farmers in
Plateau, Bauchi, Kaduna, Taraba, Benue, among
others.
The herdsmen regularly raid Christian villages
opening up a hail of gunfire, burning homes and
churches, and shooting their victims when they run
outside to escape the fires.
"The jihadists, in their quest to eliminate Christians
in Plateau State and their thirst for blood, have
succeeded in killing Christians and burning their
houses," said Gyang, a local man whose full name is
withheld to protect his safety.
The most deadly attack occurred on May 2 when
herdsmen reportedly set fire to the Church of Christ
in Nations (COCIN) located in Foron Town, Barkin
Ladi Local Government Area (LGA), killing 27
Christians. The victims included Rev. Luka Gwom
and a congregant named Pauline who was married
just two weeks prior in the same church building.
The recent raids have all occurred in two areas of
Plateau State: Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local
Government Areas. These frightening experiences
have become nearly a weekly terror for Christians in
the region. From April 25 to May 11, Gyang reported
at least six attacks on more than eightvillages, some
of them targeted more than once during that time
span.
"We in Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs have been under
siege and invasion. Lives have been lost almost
every day, and [there is] no serious action from any
quarter by the government. But we are still faithful to
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," Gyang said as he
recounted an attack that killed two members of the
Rim Town community as they were returning from
the burial of fellow Christians who were slaughtered
in a Fulani raid that happened just days before.
Sadly, this recent string of assaults is nothing new
for brothers and sisters in Christ in the Middle Belt
region. In mid-March, Muslim Fulani cattle herders
massacred 82 Christians in a village in Benue State,
according to Nigerian news reports. However, the
secular media and Nigerian authorities have been
slow to acknowledge these events as Christian
persecution.
"It is the longstanding issue over grazing rights and
cattle rustling between Egba and Fulani people,"
police spokesman Ezeala Austin said after the March
attack.
Despite the historic tensions Austin cites, witnesses
to the assaults often recount that the herdsmen
chanted "Allahu Akhbar" during the attack, the
Arabic saying, "God is Great," which has become
associated with jihadist Muslim terrorism. The
herdsmen also continually and specifically target
Christian villages.
One Plateau State government official vaguely
referenced recent incidents of cattle rustling by
predominantly-Christian tribes in Wase LGA in
connection to the attacks of the past month, but
reports suggest no linkage between the events. Wase
LGA is located 160 miles away from Barkin Ladi and
Riyom.
International Christian Concern's Regional Manager
of Africa, Mr. Troy Augustine, said: "The world
should wake up to the forgotten persecution
happening all over Nigeria's Middle-Belt region.
Extremist Muslim Fulani herders are regularly and
consciously attacking Christian villages and
slaughtering our brothers and sisters in Christ. I
don't know what else needs to be explained to
acknowledge that these people are persecuted
because of their faith".
Source: Vanguard
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