Radical Fulani herdsmen in central Nigeria's Benue state are responsible for the deaths of 48 Christians from November 24 to December 1, Christian Daily International-Morning Star News reports.
On December 1, gunmen killed 18 Christians, including women and children, who were on their way to church services in Azege village, Logo County. Before this, on November 24, 30 other Christians were killed in Logo and Katsina-Ala counties.
Benjamin Uzenda, a former member of the Logo Local Government Council, stated, “The Fulani herdsmen, armed with deadly weapons, shot sporadically on the Christians, butchered some victims with machetes, and destroyed their crops on farmlands.”
According to Senator Emmanuel Udende of Benue state, since October 22, the herdsmen have also ambushed and killed 15 people in Ayilamo, 25 in Anyiin, and 6 in Uzer village. The killings on November 24 reportedly involved more than 300 armed Fulani herdsmen who attacked predominantly Christian communities in Logo and Katsina-Ala counties.
Community leader Joseph Anawah recounted, “They overwhelmingly attacked our people, shooting anyone in sight and killing 30 Christians.” Clement Kav, chairman of the Logo Local Government Council, confirmed the death toll from the November 24 attacks and noted that 37 others were injured.
In a separate incident in neighboring Taraba state, gunmen reportedly killed a pastor and a young woman in their homes. The attacks occurred in Jalingo, the state capital, when armed assailants broke into the residence of Pastor Clement Anthony and that of a student, Titi Edward, on the night of December 6.
Abdullahi, a local official, remarked that “the gunmen did not kidnap any person or cart away money or any valuables from the two compounds they attacked,” suggesting that the attackers might have been Islamic extremists.
Dr. Aminu Jauro Hassan, chairman of the Jalingo Local Government Council, visited the families of the victims, stating that the two were “killed without provocation.” He expressed condolences, emphasizing his commitment to supporting the community during these challenging times.
The violence in Taraba state has been attributed to herdsmen and other terrorist groups. On December 5, two family members of Taraba state Governor Kefas Agbu, a Christian, were attacked while commuting; his mother, Jumai Kefas, and sister, Atsi Kefas, were shot and sustained injuries in Wukari County.
The scale of violence against Christians in Nigeria is alarming, as reported by Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List (WWL). Nigeria was cited as the deadliest place globally for Christians, with 4,118 killed for their faith between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023.
The country experienced the highest number of kidnappings of Christians in the world, with a staggering 3,300 incidents. Additionally, Nigeria ranked third in the number of attacks on churches and Christian buildings, including hospitals, schools, and cemeteries, totaling 750.
In the 2024 WWL rankings, Nigeria remained the sixth most difficult country to be a Christian, consistent with the previous year’s findings.
