Having taken over more than 100 once predominantly Christian villages in four countries of southern Kaduna state, Nigeria, Muslim Fulani militia killed three more Christians in late October, a rights.
Fulani attacks in the areas have driven 50,000 people to live with relatives or in camps for Internally Displaced People (IDP) in southern Kaduna state, said Luka Binniyat, spokesman of the Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU). Their villages are either occupied by Fulani herdsmen or are too unsafe for return, he said.
A Christian father of two who attempted to return to his village on Oct. 29 was killed by Fulani herdsmen, he said. Kaduna Garba, 32, had left an IDP camp in Kallah, Kajuru County, with Francis Bala, 38, that morning to explore the security situation of their native Mangunguna village, captured by Fulani militia on May 18, Binniyat said.
“Government-forsaken Christians of Kallah ward, Kajuru LGA of Kaduna state, yesterday morning [Oct. 29] witnessed another tragedy,” Binniyat said in a press statement. “The two men were ambushed and attacked just before getting to the village by armed Fulani with daggers and machetes, and Kaduna Garba was instantly killed while, Francis Bala escaped with injuries.”
He said Fulani militias have occupied 45 villages in the north-central Nigerian state’s Chikun County, 24 villages in Kajuru County, 32 villages in Kachia County and others in Zaongon Kataf County, all areas where people once attended Baptist, Assemblies of God, Catholic, Evangelical Church Winning All and Pentecostal churches.