Christians in Kaduna state, Nigeria were attacked by Fulani herdsmen, who killed 50 and abducted 100 more, including one priest.
Ten Christian communities of Giwa County in Nigeria were attacked by Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists on Thursday night, when they took about 100 community members captive and burned down a church building. An estimated 50 Christians were killed while a Catholic priest was also taken.
A resident of the community, Nuhu Musa told Morning Star News via text message that the terrorists "burned houses, stores, and killed animals" and that the attacks "continued and lasted up to the morning of Friday." Musa added, "They didn't allow even the dead bodies to be buried, as they shot at mourners and those who returned to the villages to conduct funerals for those killed."
Musa reported that women and children were among those who perished in the attacks. Terrorists also burned down a church building located in Zangon Tama village. The attackers also raided the villages of Unguwar Kaya Fatika, Barebari, Dillalai, Unguwar Bakko, Gidan Alhajin Kadi, Kadanya and Durumi. He remarked, "Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna state is bleeding."
The commissioner in Kaduna state's Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan said that according to initial reports, the assailants had attacked the villages of Dillalai, Barebari, Dokan Alhaji Ya'u, Durumi, Kaya and Fatika. A Catholic priest by the name of Rev. Felix Fidson Zakari of St. Ann's Catholic Church, was abducted at gunpoint from Zangon Tama village along with others, four area residents reported. A spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Zaria requested prayers for the kidnapped priest.
Julius Agbado, a member of the Catholic church pleaded with the faithful, asking them to pray for Rev. Zakari, who was "kidnapped after armed herdsmen and terrorists attacked Zangon Tama." Another resident of the area, Muazu Gogi expressed dismay at the Nigerian government's failure to protect the villagers from terrorist attacks, which are very common in the Kaduna state.
"The government is aware about the killings and destructions by these Fulani terrorists and armed bandits but is unable to protect the people," Gogi lamented.
These are not the only attacks carried out against Christians in the area. According to the Christian Headlines, Fulani herdsmen carried out an attack in the Benue state, where they killed three Christians, following an attack earlier this month that killed more than 20 people in the predominantly Christian areas of the state.
According to residents of the predominantly Christian Yoli village in Katsina-Ala County, the Fulani began attacking at 2 a.m., injuring a dozen people and forcing many to flee their homes. Comfort Angula described the attackers as having "who had guns and weapons like machetes," adding that they killed three members of the community.
Community member Nicholas Kahiorga said that the three Christians who were killed were members of the Universal Reformed Christian Church (NKST in Nigeria) in the village. Similar attacks had occurred in Guma County, where herdsmen attacked Ahentse village, killing five Christians on March 12, local residents reported.
On March 10, Fulani herdsmen killed eight Christians in Iye village, while in Udeyen village, six more were killed. Community members reported that they received threatening letters from the herdsmen, warning them to leave the village or be killed. The community members added that the assailants rode motorcycles during the attacks.
