Suspected Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists in the past month killed at least 30 Christians in Plateau state, Nigeria and 10 in Kaduna state, where they also demanded payment for a corpse after collecting ransom for the Christian they kidnapped and killed.
In Plateau state’s Bokkos County, hundreds of suspected Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists invaded predominantly Christian villages, and along with the slaughters wounded 20 Christians, burned down a church building and destroyed homes, area residents said.
An attack on Ser village at 10 p.m. on Nov. 23 left nine Christians dead and the 20 injured, they said. The approximately 200 assailants also burned down 30 houses. Area resident John Akos said the attack was the third within a week.
The assailants on Nov. 22 also attacked Bokkos County’s Wumat village, killing 11 Christians and burning down dozens of houses, Akos said. Area resident Mathias Goshe concurred that about 200 herdsmen and other terrorists attacked Wumat village at about 10 p.m., shot at fleeing Christians and burned down dozens of houses.
“The invaders were no doubt Fulani herdsmen and terrorists,” Goshe said. “They were communicating with each in the Fulfulde [Fulani] language as they were attacking us. This aside, they were armed with guns and machetes.”
In Maikatako village and Dadin Kowa, more than 300 Fulani herdsmen attacked on Nov. 16-17, killing 11 Christians, according to Solomon Maren, a parliamentarian in Nigeria’s National Assembly representing the Bokkos area. He said in a press statement that they also burned down a church building and more than 20 houses in the two predominantly Christian villages.
“Within a month, we have buried more than 30 Christians killed by the herdsmen,” Maren said. “These victims include women and children.”
Maikatako area resident Sule Marshall identified some of those slain in the Maikatako attack as Seth Matthew, 2; Peret Satmak, 13; Longkinan Satmak, 1; Taho Isa, 7; Umundum Maren, 82; Satmun Gyokos, 27; Larai Ginai, 70; Dorcas Satmak, 28; Nanribet Satmak; Sakanjalla Isa; and Ubwas Emmanuel.
Maren added that more than 300,000 hectares of farmlands were “destroyed by the herders due to deliberate and reckless grazing without caution and/or fear of anybody. Most farmers had little or no harvest due to this wicked action of unscrupulous herders.”
Solomon Mwantiri of the Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria said in a press statement that from Nov. 10 to 16, the herdsmen and other terrorists invaded the predominantly Christian villages of Maikatako, Kunet, Maiyanga, Maijankai, Folloh and Sangwak.
“These villages are located in Bokkos LGA, Plateau state, rendering hundreds of survivors homeless,” Mwantiri said. “In Folloh village, the following Christians are victims affected by the attacks: Namang John, Lydia John, Jambweng Istifanus, Mangun John, Isa Peter, Lawrence Mafulul, Samuel Magit, Sunday Magit, Ibrahim Magit, Danjuma Musa, Bala Mafwalal, Doy Bala, Michael Danladi, Matur Mambayat, John Peter, Danjuma Mashor, Teni John, Tajan Garba, Tawum Matur and David Sule.”
Wounded in the attack were Christians Michael Danladi, Danjuma Mashor, Pollong Sunday, Mamot Peter, Awang Peter, Toma Magit, Mandik Garba and Micah Mariyom, he added.
Police and military authorities confirmed the attacks on these Christian communities. Alabo Alfred, a spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, said in a message to Morning Star News, “The incidents were reported to us. We have deployed police personnel to the affected areas in order to curtail the attacks.”
Maj. Ishaku Takwa, spokesman of the military’s Special Task Force (STF) in Jos, Plateau state, also confirmed the attacks in Bokkos in a statement.
