200 killed in Christian areas of Nasarawa, Nigeria

Morning Star News report - Posted at Baptist Press:


KEFFI, Nigeria (BP) -- Armed attacks by Muslim Fulani herdsmen on predominantly Christian communities in Nasarawa state this year have left more than 200 people dead and destroyed homes and farms, sources said.

One such attack on a worship service on March 19 in the central Nigerian state's Oshugu village killed two Christians and displaced hundreds from the Loko Development Area of the Nasarawa Local Government Area (LGA), a survivor told Morning Star News.

"The attack on our village occurred this morning while we were in the church," the survivor, identified only as Ittah, said on March 19. "Our village head and one other person died, and many were injured. The sad thing is that these Fulanis have been attacking our communities, and no one is doing anything about it."

Both Christians killed were members of the local congregation of the Evangelical Church Winning All.

A petition to Nigeria's National Assembly by the Nasarawa-based Ajiri Afo Development Association on March 16 stated that since January armed herdsmen have killed more than 200 people and injured 500 others. The petition cites "killings, rapes, and kidnappings of our people."

"We are in pain and distressed, we are dying as a result of this destruction to our economic activity in our lands," Aminu Suleiman, president of the association, stated in the petition. "Most of our farms and villages are now deserted due to insecurity."

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