At Least 31 Christians Slaughtered in Central Nigeria

Sen. Diket Plang of Plateau state, Nigeria. (Facebook)

 Posted at Morning Star News:

Islamic extremists raid two counties in Plateau state, residents say.

Published January 24, 2024

ABUJA, Nigeria (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists attacked villages in Plateau state, Nigeria at about 12:30 a.m. today (Jan. 24), killing at least 25 Christians, following the deaths of six others last week, area residents said.

Thousands of people were displaced in the attacks in Mangu County that began on Monday (Jan. 22), residents said.

“My village, Kwahaslalek, a Christian community, was attacked at about 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, 24 January, by terrorists and herdsmen,” Hosea Ibrahim told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News in a text message. “The invaders surrounded the village at about midnight, and they shot at anyone they sighted. Twenty-five Christians who were mostly women and children were killed during the attack.”

Sen. Diket Plang of Nigeria’s parliament said in a statement today that the killings resulted from unprovoked attacks on innocent citizens. He called on “the armed forces and all security apparatus to live up to their sworn duty to protect the citizens of Nigeria, and especially the people of Mangu LGA, at this trying moment.”

He urged authorities to investigate the attacks and ensure that the culprits face the full force of the law.

“Justice must prevail, and those responsible for these atrocities must be held accountable for their actions,” Plang said.

Alfred Alabo, spokesman for the Plateau State Command, told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News that the area was now under control and that police have been deployed to find the assailants.

The attack was part of a coordinated assault that began on Monday (Jan. 22) on Mangu County’s Kwahaslalek, Marian and Kinat villages and the towns of Jakatai, Sabon Gari and Mangu town, residents said.

“A friend’s family, five members of his family, were killed and burnt beyond recognition in Mangu on Tuesday, 23 January,” a resident identified only as Murphy told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “The wicked will never stop unless they have reasons to think twice before attacking. These are not random attacks, but well-coordinated to exterminate Christians.”

Plateau state officials had imposed a curfew on Tuesday (Jan. 23) in the Mangu area in an attempt to curb such attacks.

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