At least 51 Christians have been killed and many more wounded in a brutal assault by suspected Islamist militants in Plateau State, Nigeria. The attack, which occurred during the early hours of Monday, April 14, targeted two Christian villages in the Middle Belt region.
Around 1am, over 100 armed assailants stormed the villages of Zike and Kimakpa in Bassa Local Government Area (LGA). The militants opened fire indiscriminately on residents and set fire to homes.
According to Barnabas Aid, the incident follows a deadly attack in Bokkos LGA on April 2, where at least 52 people were killed in the communities of Hurti, Josho, and Daffo.
Wakili Tongwe, the leader of Bassa community, was in a neighbouring village when the attack began. He recounted hearing the initial rounds of gunfire and arriving too late to prevent the tragedy. “By the time we got back, 36 were already dead,” Tongwe said.
“Some died later from their wounds.” He and other local leaders have demanded more robust government action to safeguard their communities. “We are tired of burying our people every other week,” Tongwe added. “The government must do more than send troops after the damage is done.”
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has called the attacks “organised and genocidal,” citing the systematic takeover and occupation of entire communities by militants. “There is no other explanation,” Mutfwang stated in a recent interview, underscoring the severity and coordination of the assaults.
The Barnabas Aid reports that since 2009, an estimated 45,000 Christians have been killed across northern and central Nigeria as part of a growing wave of Islamist violence.
