Developing Story: 2,000 Christians Displaced After Fulani Militia Attack On 26 April

Masara Kim brings us this report of an attack on Irigwe Christian villages in Kauru local government area in Kaduna state on Tuesday.

According to Kim's sources, 21 people were killed and 2,000 displaced in the attack, while a nearby army task force refrained from intervening.

THIS WEEK: What came before the train attack

In late March, Fulani militias in Nigeria's Kaduna state launched a series of spectacular terrorist attacks. They attacked the state's airport, and seized a train traveling from the capital to Kaduna city, taking dozens of people hostage.

But the wave of terror did not start there. It started with a series of massacres in Christian villages in the countryside, in Giwa local government area.

Philip Umar, a local businessman and university lecturer, arrived in Giwa soon after the attacks to organize a relief effort. This week in Nigeria Report, Mr. Umar describes what happened and what he saw:

The Fulani invasion lasted four days from 24 to 27 March. The attacks began in Zangon Tama, a cluster of villages. An eyewitness who narrowly escaped said that the Fulani attacked the villages around 5.30pm. They entered the villages on over 200 motorcycles each carrying three persons, one riding and two shooting sporadically. After unleashing destruction, they left and came back the following day and burnt houses, cars and grain stores.

...On hearing about the attack, I and other concerned individuals contacted the military to come to the aid of our people. The military graciously responded to our plea, however on arriving at the location, they could not face the bandits. The military actually ran for their lives because the bandits were large in number and had more superior and sophisticated weapons.

Because of the inability of the government to repel these attacks, an estimated 7,000 villagers were forced to leave their communities. As they were running for their lives, the bandits killed as many of them as they could.

It's noteworthy that whilst the attacks targeted Hausa communities those areas are largely Hausa Christian dominated. The Fulani bandits killed both Christians and Muslims sparing only their fellow Fulanis. However, Christians communities were worse affected for reasons best known to the terrorists. What is even more worrisome is the government negligence in going after these bandits as their location was well known as repeatedly confirmed by the executive governor of Kaduna State.

All those affected are farmers with no other livelihood, and the farming season is about to begin in earnest. Maize is the main crop and Kaduna State is the biggest producer in Nigeria. Within Kaduna State Giwa LGA is the main producer. If the Fulani militias are not stopped, then famine will be imminent.

Read the full report at nigeria-report.org.

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PLUS: What happens when IDPs in Plateau State try to return to their homes.

New on the Nigeria Report YouTube channel: We visit the grave of Sarah, an elderly woman who died of shock after her village was attacked.