ICC Note: Radical Fulani militia attacks on majority-Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle-Belt continue to surge since June. Local sources report that 133 people have died, property has been decimated, and 76 churches have been destroyed as a result of these attacks in recent months. in the trend follows a bloody year in the ongoing crisis where in February, militants murdered more than 500 people in Benue State, causing more than 20,000 to flee the heavily Christian area of Agatu. These radical Muslim Fulani cattle herders continue to target Christian farming communities, wiping out church congregations and destroying church property. Nigerian Christians believe the Fulani militants are waging jihad similar to the crisis in northeast Nigeria where Boko Haram perpetuates a bloody insurgency in the interest of establishing an Islamic State in West Africa.
07/20/2016, Nigeria (WorldWatch Monitor) – Details have slowly emerged of attacks carried out by mainly Muslim Fulani herdsmen in central Nigeria’s Benue state, near its border with Taraba state, from the end of June until now. They were on the communities of Logo, Ukum and part of Wukari.
Early reports said that 81 people were killed, but local sources contacted by World Watch Monitor said that the toll has now reached at least 133. An undetermined number of properties have been looted or destroyed, including 76 churches.
Locals told World Watch Monitor that from 18 June until now, Fulani herdsmen have occupied almost all of the areas named above: and that some church buildings and premises are now being used as camps, from which the herdsmen continue to attack other Christian communities.
Benue State has been wracked with deadly violence. More than 500 people were killed in February in the mainly Christian area of Agatu. About 20,000 people are thought to have fled the wave of attacks, which some locals say is the worst massacre by Fulani herdsmen since 2010 – when 400-500 died near Jos.
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