Thirty-six Nigerian Christians have been killed in attacks reportedly carried about by Islamic Fulani herdsmen in the month of August.
The recent killings, which build on this year’s previously reported death toll of several thousand, have prompted an outcry from locals who accuse the government of inaction and even of supporting the attacks.
“It rained at the time the herdsmen invaded our village,” Judith David, a resident of Machun village in the state of Kaduna, texted Morning Star News. “We all had already gone to houses to sleep when the herdsmen attacked the village, forcing us to flee into the bush in the rain.”
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs for Kaduna, Samuel Aruwan, put out a statement on the attack. “Police personnel responded to a distress call from Machun village and mobilized there,” he said. “On arrival, they were also alerted by gunshots from neighboring Manuka. As the assailants fled the area, the operatives found the corpses of three victims.”
Rev. Jacob Kwashi, a pastor from the area, has accused the government of being in favor of the attacks.
“We have never seen an evil government in this country like the one of today. The government is fully in support of the bloodshed in Nigeria. We are being killed just because we are not Muslims,” he said.
Kwashi, speaking at a funeral for 17 slain Christians, continued.
“These evil Fulani jihadists are enjoying the backing of the government to go about killing people, destroying their houses and farmlands, yet when we try to defend ourselves, the government will go about arresting our people. What kind of justice is this?”
Aruwan, the state official, claimed that the government had actually helped save lives during other attacks on Christians in other villages. “The troops of Operation Safe Haven also rescued 12 persons who were fleeing from the attackers,” he said.
