Radical terrorists recently killed a number of Christian farmers in rural communities in Nigeria’s fertile state of Plateau. There is no access to good roads and other social amenities in the area. The Christian farmers, who were about to harvest Irish potatoes, unexpectedly found themselves gathering the dead bodies of their loved ones instead.
The Fulani militias attacked the Christian villagers at night, armed with AK-47s and machetes. Other villagers were ambushed while going to their farm. The same stories have long repeated themselves in Christian communities across Plateau State, including in Jos East, Bassa, Riyom, Jos South, and the Wase local government area.
The Fulani militias attacked Danda Chugwi village of Jos South, Plateau State on 1 August this year. The Sunday night attack killed seven people and injured two others. According to Rev. Gyang of New Life Church, who is a member of the community, “the attack took place between 7 pm and 7:30 pm.” He said that “the attack was carried out within ten minutes and seven lives were lost just like that.”
The Danda Chugwi attack happened twenty-four hours after a clash between local vigilantes and the militia in Wase, 206km from Jos, the Plateau State capital. This attack killed 18 locals, The Fulani militant sent threat messages to the locals telling them to vacate their villages or to be killed. Despite the early warning, no Fulani leader was arrested, and the villagers were not protected from the attack.
Another Christian village was also attacked in the Jos East Local Government area of Plateau State. Two farmers were killed in Lamigo village. “I escaped by God’s mercy,” one survivor said. “The Fulani were four in number with guns and machetes. They destroyed our crops and grazed their cattle on our farms.” An eyewitness told.
The country’s president, Mahamadu Buhari, has failed to protect Christian farmers. Rather, they keep silent when Christian farmers are being attacked continuously. No government assistance was given to the persecuted Christian community or those returning to their original homes.