A Bible translator was among seven people butchered to death in Cameroon by suspected Muslim herders during an attack carried out in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Efi Tembon, of Oasis Network for Community Transformation, told The Christian Post, Angus Abraham Fung was cut to death with a machete, while his wife, Eveline, had her arm hacked off.

A local source told Tembon that up to five homes were hit during the attack which began on Saturday night and carried into the next morning.

“They went into houses and pulled out the people,” Tembon explained. “They attacked in the night and nobody was expecting. They just went into the home, pulled them out and slaughtered them.”

“I don’t know what prompted the attack,” Tembon added. “They just came in and killed people at the home.”

Fung, who was in his 60s and worked for years with the Aghem Bible translation project, translating the New Testament into the Aghem language, was described by Tembon as one of the key community leaders in the tribe.

“He was part of the translation services and also coordinated literacy efforts. So, he was a huge part of the literacy work because their language had never been written before. So, he was the one coordinating it and teaching the language. So many people now can read and write the language as a result of Angus’ work.”

It’s suspected Muslim Fulani herders who live outside of the town are responsible for the attack. According to Tembon, “The Fulani are Muslim and they are a minority in the area. And they always have a farmer-grazer problem between the local people and the Fulani. The government uses that now to get the Falani on their side as an ally to fight the local people. So they have been armed and protected by the government and terrorize the local people.”

Photo: Bible translator Angus Fung (R) poses for a photo with Tearfund Canada President Wayne Johnson (L) in Wum, Cameroon. | Alex Nicholls