Home Christian News Herdsmen Attacks Kill 37 Christians in Plateau State, Nigeria

Herdsmen Attacks Kill 37 Christians in Plateau State, Nigeria

“Some government officials came also this morning only at 10 a.m.,” Pastor Bala told Morning Star News. “These herdsmen carried out the attack on us for about 40 minutes and left without intervention from soldiers or the police.”

Security agencies’ lack of action was concerning, he said.

“While the attack was going on, I phoned one of the security agents, and he told me they were doing something about it, but they did nothing,” Pastor Bala said. “It’s traumatic to witness such deadly incidents of this nature.

“Last week the herdsmen were here in the community roaming around without restraint by security agents stationed around the community, and yet, even in the presence of soldiers and police personnel, the attackers invaded the community and embarked on a killing spree. And some of the attackers are known to be terrorists who have been brought in from other countries to collaborate with the herdsmen to attack Christians.”

As a pastor, he said, he has wondered why the violence goes unchecked.

“Throughout last night I couldn’t sleep because members I minister to were killed in gruesome manner, and for not committing any crimes except being Christians,” Pastor Bala told Morning Star News. “Has it now become a crime to profess Jesus Christ?”

Many Christians have been displaced as a result of this attack, adversely affecting ministry there, he said.

“What the Nigerian government should note is that when the people have lost faith in security agencies and are forced to resort to self-help to defend themselves, there’ll be anarchy in the land,” he said.

The pastor listed churches affected by herdsmen attacks in the area as the ECWA, COCIN, Roman Catholic, Anglican Communion, Baptist Church, Assemblies of God Church, Living Faith Church, and The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

April Attacks

Prior attacks in Plateau state in April took the lives of at least 15 other Christians.

Herdsmen on April 30 attacked Ta-Hoss village, Riyom County, killing Emmanuel Joshua, a 32-year-old Christian, rights advocate Mandiks said.

Irmiya James, a leader of the Christian community in the village, told Mandiks that he received a distress call at 3 p.m. that Fulani had shot dead a Christian on Tahoss-Ganawuri Road.

“On getting to the scene, we found Mr. Emmanuel Joshua in a pool of blood, and his motorcycle was taken away by the Fulani assailants,” James told Mandiks.