Nigeria's President, Bola Tinubu, confirmed on Monday, April 14, that at least 40 people were killed following an attack by armed Muslim men, allegedly Fulani herdsmen, against the Christian community of Zike, in the country's north-central region.
The attack occurred on Sunday night in the Bassa area, in the state of Plateau. Tinubu condemned the events and ordered an investigation, promising to identify those responsible and express his condolences to the victims and their families.
According to reports, among the victims of the attack were children and the elderly who couldn't escape in time. Testimonies from local residents, like Andy Yakubu, revealed that the strikers also looted and destroyed homes, and the death toll could exceed 50. So far, no arrests have been made.
El presidente de Nigeria condenó los ataques y ordenó una investigación
Conflicts between Christian farming communities and armed invaders, mainly Muslim Fulani herdsmen, have intensified in the region known as Nigeria's "middle belt," where tensions over access to land and water have exacerbated ethnic and religious divisions.
The spokesperson for the Irigwe Development Association, Samuel Jugo, stated that since December 2024, at least 75 members of the predominantly Christian Irigwe ethnic grouphave been killed in the Bassa region.
Jugo denounced that despite the presence of additional security forces, the violence persists, calling the recent attack "provocative and heartbreaking."
The state of Plateau has been the scene of numerous similar attacks. In May 2024, armed men killed 40 people in remote villages in the same state.
According to reports, between December 2023 and February 2024, about 1,336 people were killed in Plateau, reflecting the ineffectiveness of the Nigerian government's measures to contain the violence.
Although these attacks are strongly linked to land disputes, local authorities, like the governor of Plateau state, Caleb Mutfwang, assert that what is happening is much more serious and has a religious background.
In recent statements, Mutfwang claimed that the attacks constitute an act of genocide against Christian communities, and he called on the international community to take note of the situation.
Local pastors and community leaders agree with this view. According to testimonies collected by Christian Daily International-Morning Star News (CDI-MSN), the areas of Bokkos and Mangu have been "under siege" for at least a year and a half.
El gobernador del estado de Plateau señaló que se está llevando a cabo un genocidio contra las comunidades cristianas
The attacks are frequent and the victims often end up in mass burials. Reports include kidnappings, rapes, and murders of Christian women, especially in rural villages.
Investigations by local partners of Release International, an advocate for persecuted Christians, revealed that since December, 136 communities in Plateau have been attacked; 79 of them were completely abandoned.
In the village of Hurti, for example, the strikers destroyed homes and churches and killed pastors, women, and children, even after security forces briefly arrived and then withdrew.
Si bien el evento no está relacionado al grupo terrorista Boko Haram, el incremento de terrorismo islámico genera gran preocupación
Paul Robinson, CEO of Release International, described the attacks as "horribly common" and warned that the devastation is so frequent that it no longer causes surprise, although it should continue to raise alarm. He urged the international community to pray for the affected Christian communities, for their spiritual strength, and for the conversion of their aggressors.
This conflict, although separate from the Boko Haram jihadist insurgency in the country's northeast, has caused a growing humanitarian crisis and deepened religious division in Nigeria.
Violence against Christians in Nigeria has left thousands displaced and entire communities destroyed, highlighting the urgent need for an effective and lasting solution.
Distintas organizaciones cristianas han condenado el ataque y mencionaron que los mismos se volvieron algo común
