Fulani Herdsmen Kills Over 100 Christians in Plateau State

Around 113 people, including some Christians, have been killed in another spate of horrific attacks in Plateau State, Nigeria, with thousands more displaced.

Since the end of March, Fulani militants attacked at least eight communities in the local government associations of Bokkos and Bassa.

Alongside those killed (and the number could be higher), a further six are missing and many others injured. Over 300 homes have been destroyed, leaving more than 3,000 people displaced.

The most recent attack was on Sunday night (13 April) in a Christian community in Bassa. “Forty-three people were killed, several houses were burnt down with people inside,” says a local contact.

Amongst the other attacks, three Christian farmers were cultivating their land on 24 March when they were killed.

Three days later, the militants killed 11 Christians who had gathered for a funeral, including a pregnant woman and ten-year-old girl. On 2 April, at least five Christian women were killed as they gathered for fellowship.

The attacks in Bokkos come as Christian communities continue to recover from a series of attacks in 2023, including one on Christmas Eve in which around 200 believers were killed. A coordinated security response is in place to tackle the ongoing spate of attacks in affected communities.

“Our people are living in fear,” says Titus Ayuba Alams, who serves as a special adviser to the local authorities on workers’ welfare and corporate affairs. “Children no longer go to school, even worship in churches you can’t do it, because you are running for your life.”

The attacks come at the onset of the rainy season, which lasts until October. It’s a crucial time for subsistence farmers, who need to get crops in the ground in preparation for the dry season.

Many of those attacked and now displaced rely on their farms for survival, and with many men amongst those killed, women and children have lost their breadwinner, leaving them especially vulnerable.

Attacks like these are often tactical and targeted, aimed at crippling families and communities in the long-term. When Christian villages are attacked, it is often intended to fatally undermine and destroy the local church.