“Most of those killed were the elderly and children.” Fulani Militia Kill 8 Christians in Nigeria
(International Christian Concern) — In a brutal continuation of Christian persecution in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, Fulani ethnic militias recently conducted fresh attacks that left eight Christians dead and hundreds of acres of farmland destroyed.
The coordinated assaults targeted predominantly Christian farming communities in Plateau state on May 14, resulting in the deaths of mostly children and the elderly in Wereng camp, Riyom County, and the deliberate destruction of more than 740 acres of farmland in Kpachudu village, Bassa County.
The violence marks yet another wave in a relentless campaign by Fulani extremists to drive Christian communities from their ancestral lands through killings, arson, and economic sabotage.
Eyewitnesses described a harrowing night as gunmen stormed Wereng camp under the cover of darkness and opened fire on sleeping families.
“They came around midnight and shot anyone they saw,” a survivor told International Christian Concern (ICC), requesting anonymity for safety reasons. “Most of those killed were the elderly and children. There was no provocation — they just attacked.”
The attackers torched homes, looted food supplies, and left survivors injured, traumatized, and displaced. The targeted nature of the killings aligns with similar attacks that have gone largely unpunished, fueling fears of an ongoing ethnic and religious cleansing.
On the same day, in Kpachudu village, Fulani herdsmen, under armed protection, invaded cultivated lands, unleashing cattle to trample, graze, and destroy vital crops. More than 300 hectares of farmland were devastated, including maize, cabbage, potatoes, and hot peppers, all near harvest. This act of economic sabotage has pushed already-vulnerable Christian farming families deeper into poverty.
“This is not a farmer-herder clash. It is a genocidal campaign,” said Dr. Joshua Riti, local administrator of Bassa County, during a joint assessment visit with members of the Nigerian police, army, and Agro Rangers. “Our communities are being wiped out methodically. The international community must not remain silent.”
Farmers like Ibrahim Danjuma reported massive losses. “I lost over 10 million naira,” he said. “They deliberately destroy everything, and when we report it, the attackers return at night and kill us.”
Elisha Thomas recounted efforts to resist the attackers by seizing their cattle.
“No Fulani were arrested,” he said. “This happens every season.”
Another farmer, Sunday Tanko, added, “The military sides with them. We are arrested when a cow dies, but no one is held accountable when they burn our homes and destroy our food.”
Mounting evidence suggests security forces are either complicit or indifferent. Ezekiel Bini, National Leader of the Irigwe Youth Movement, said local youth are regularly detained while Fulani attackers walk free.
“Our people are imprisoned without justice, yet no one faces consequences for burning our villages,” he said. “Open grazing must be banned, and the government must act.”
A member of the Nigeria Civil Defense Corps’ Agro Rangers confirmed their presence in the area but declined to comment, stating only, “We are on top of the situation.”
The Irigwe, a predominantly Christian indigenous group in the Plateau and Kaduna states, are facing an existential threat. As self-reliant agrarian communities, the destruction of farmland not only undermines their survival but also serves as a weapon of war used by Fulani militias.
“These attacks are not random. They are part of a strategic campaign to displace and erase Christian communities,” said Hon. John Araye, former deputy chairman of Bassa County, whose home was destroyed in a previous attack. “Without government intervention and a ban on open grazing, our people have no future.”
Local leaders are urging the international Christian community to respond with urgency through diplomatic pressure, humanitarian aid, increased advocacy, and prayer for the persecuted church in Nigeria.
“This is organized, premeditated violence,” said Dr. Riti. “If nothing is done, Christian communities like the Irigwe may be erased from the map.”
This article was written and published at the International Christian Concern and is republished in full with permission.
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