Massacre of Christians ongoing in Nigeria: 'Fulani herdsmen killing innocents almost daily'

• Fulani herdsmen killed 13 Christians in Benue State, Nigeria.
• Four Christians were shot in their homes on January 1, and nine others were killed on January 5-6.
• Residents report ongoing violence and missing persons following the attacks.

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ABUJA, Nigeria — Fulani herdsmen in Benue state, Nigeria, killed four Christians on Monday and nine others on Jan. 5-6, sources said.

In Otobi Akpa village, Otukpo County, Fulani herdsmen arrived at midnight on Monday and shot four Christians who had been asleep in their homes, said resident Franca Akipu, who said dozens of others remain missing.

“The attack was carried out by Fulani herdsmen,” she told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “They shot at people who were sleeping. The gunshots were so loud that my mom was in panic throughout the night. Please keep my community in your prayers.”

Akipu identified the slain Christians as Ochi Igbade, Eje Uzu, Alinko and Achibi.

Previously, Fulanis had attacked the village on April 15, killing 13 Christians and burning down 50 houses, she said. Community leader Adikwu Ogbe said they were attacked at about 6 p.m. on that day.

“The armed herdsmen invaded our community, shooting sporadically at anyone they sighted,” Ogbe told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “And when they retreated, 13 of our Christian members had been killed, while 50 houses were destroyed.”

In two other counties in Benue state, herdsmen killed five Christians on Jan. 6 and four others on Jan. 5, residents said.

In Kwande County, Fulani herdsmen on Jan. 6 killed five Christians as they were working on their farms in Udeku Maav-Ya village at about 4 p.m.

“This incident is not the first in this area, as these Fulani herdsmen have been persistent in attacking our communities,” said Tersua Yarkwan, chairman of the Kwande Local Government Council.

Council member Akerigba Lawrence also noted that residents of the area’s predominantly Christian villages “have constantly faced sustained attacks and destruction of their homes and farms.”

In Ikyaghev village, Guma County, herdsmen on Jan. 5 killed four Christians, said Maurice Orwough, Guma Council chairman.

“The farmers were working on their farms when the herdsmen attacked them around 10 a.m.,” Orwough told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “The four Christians are members of the same family.”

James Melvin Ejeh, Agatu Council chairman, said there have been “deliberate and systematic attacks against Christians in some of our communities by herdsmen which have resulted in loss of lives and destruction of property.”

In Ukum County, armed herdsmen on Jan. 8 attacked farmers in predominantly Christian Adogo village, destroying crops, said resident Thomas Ikyase.

Community leader Aule Gba added, “Farmers in my community were attacked by Fulani terrorists. They forced our people to flee from their homes.”

Herdsmen attacks also took place in December. In Okpokwu County, Fulani herdsmen on Dec. 30 attacked a funeral in Owewe village, said resident Isaac Audu. Sunday Oche, chairman of the Ado Local Government Council, noted that herdsmen also attacked the predominantly Christian villages of Ijigban, Ulayi and Utonkon on Dec. 9.

“The herdsmen’s pattern of violence includes attacking mourners, ambushing farmers, and inflicting machete cut wounds on Christian victims,” Oche said.

In an attack on predominantly Christian Mbamondo Ukembergya village in Logo County on Dec. 7, herdsmen killed four Christians, said resident Simon Chia.

“Fulani herdsmen are killing innocent Christians almost daily,” Chia said. “This is the situation we are facing in Logo Local Government Area of Benue state.”

Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report.

“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the APPG report states.

Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam, as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.

This article was originally published at Christian Daily International–Morning Star News