Fulani herdsmen attacked residents of a village in central Nigeria’s Plateau state as they slept at 2 a.m. on April 19, killing 12 Christians, sources said.
In the farming community of Mangu County’s Tilengpan Pushit, the Fulanis attacked with “deadly weapons” without provocation, said resident Israel Bamshak.
“Most of the victims are women and children who were unable to escape from the invaders,” Bamshak told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
Resident Monday Mwansat confirmed the attack on the predominantly Christian community, as did John Musa.
“Twelve members of our community have been killed,” Musa said. “We have become targets of attacks from Fulani herdsmen for no just cause.”
Markus Artu, chairman of the Mangu Local Government Council, also said the attacks were carried out by Fulani herdsmen.
Plateau Gov. Caleb Mutfwang expressed sadness that in spite of efforts his government has made to curtail the unprovoked attacks, the assailants have continued to carry out more vicious assaults. Mutfwang appealed to Christians to remain steadfast in the face of unprovoked attacks, saying his government will continue collaborating with security agencies to bring about security.
“I extended my heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the incidents, and pray for the recovery of the injured who are currently being treated in various hospitals,” Mutfwang said.
Nigeria remained the deadliest place in the world to follow Christ, with 4,118 people killed for their faith from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023, according to Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List (WWL) report. More kidnappings of Christians than in any other country also took place in Nigeria, with 3,300.
Nigeria was also the third highest country in number of attacks on churches and other Christian buildings such as hospitals, schools, and cemeteries, with 750, according to the report.
In the 2024 WWL of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria was ranked No. 6, as it was in the previous year.
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.
