Christians in Nigeria faced a new round of horrors on October 31, when suspected Fulani herdsmen allegedly attacked a village, killed at least one believer, injured two others and kidnapped 25 others.
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The horrific event took place in Ungwan Baka village, located in Kaduna State, with Emmanuei Yusuf, a resident, narrative Morning Star News some details.
“Christian villagers were attacked early Tuesday,” Yusuf said. “The injured victims are currently being treated in hospital.”
This would not be the first attack against residents, with Herbert Chindo, another resident, stressing that it was at least the third time that such an attack had occurred.
“Please pray for us,” Chindo pleaded.
The Fulani herdsmen are members of a predominantly Muslim group known to target Christians.
On October 29, just two days before the aforementioned assault, a Fulani herdsman and other militants reportedly killed six believers in Benue State.
The horrific attacks took place after terrorists reportedly kidnapped more than 30 Christians in Kaduna State on October 7, capturing believers at gunpoint while working on a farm.
“More than 30 Christian farmers who were farming were kidnapped in one fell swoop,” said resident Victor Dabo. told Morning Star News. “Please pray for the Chikuri Christian community. »
According to Open House United States, the Hausa-Fulani Muslim herdsmen comprise approximately 38 million people who speak various languages and are nomadic. Members of the group have varying degrees of adherence to Islam.
These events are not new, although international attention to the issue continues to grow. Violence in Nigeria burst into international news in May 2022 when Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, a 25-year-old Christian student, was stoned to death by a Muslim mob.
The murder of Yakubu, a student at Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, Nigeria, was reportedly filmed and shared on social media, horrifying the international community.
“We have videos, we have photos that I have seen, unfortunately,” said Joel Veldkamp, head of international communications at persecution watchdog Christian Solidarity International (CSI). told CBN Digital Last year.
She was killed over comments allegedly made on WhatsApp, a messaging app.
“She was part of a WhatsApp group dedicated to studies at her school,” Veldkamp said. “Someone asked her in that group how she got such a good score on a test, and she said, ‘Jesus.’
This reportedly angered the Muslims in the group, who reacted negatively. Yakubu then allegedly left a voicemail saying that the Holy Spirit would protect her and that the purpose of the WhatsApp group was education, not “religious nonsense,” as Veldkamp explained. She was then murdered.
Although Christianity is vibrant in many parts of Nigeria, the northern region of the country has seen a surge in extremist attacks against believers.
As CBN Digital previously reported, Open Doors’ 2023 Global Watch List class Nigeria as the sixth most dangerous place in the world to live as a Christian.
And, according to a staff member of International Christian Concern (ICC) in Nigeria, Fulani activists have kill 2,469 Christians since 2016, burning and torching churches and homes along the way.
“Nigeria is a country torn apart by decades of violence. From large organized terrorist groups to small, disconnected community militias, violence in Nigeria is endemic,” the new ICC Persecutors of the Year report. bed. “Located between the predominantly Christian south and the predominantly Muslim north, the central Middle Belt region is home to much of the violence. »
The text continues: “Christians suffer a disproportionate share of killings and kidnappings, turning the country into a dangerous place to live. »
Pray for peace and stability in Nigeria amidst these continued attacks.
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