Fulani militants have launched their most deadly attack in Benue State, Nigeria, with many men, women and children burned in their own homes.
The full scale of the attack is yet to be fully determined, however it has been confirmed that at least 100 people died in the attack, although the real figure could be double that.
The militants attacked a mission site that was being used as a shelter by internally displaced persons (IDPs), those who have already been forced from their homes by previous attacks. Exact figures are hard to come by, with different sources putting the number of IDPs at the site at anywhere from 400 to 700.
The attack began at around 10pm on 13 June, however it was initially foiled by Nigerian security forces, who have often been criticised for their failure to prevent attacks, even when advance warning is given.
However, after their attack on the mission site failed, the militants turned their attention to the market, burning buildings and killing and mutilating any in their path. Catholic clergy on the ground said that the Nigerian police lacked sufficient equipment to prevent the militants from attacking the market.
Witnesses claim that the attackers used the Islamic “Allahu Akbar” chant.
While unusual for its scale, Fulani attacks are all too common in that part of Nigeria. Already this month a number of farmers have been killed in smaller attacks. Priests and other clergy have been kidnapped.
Attacks can be particularly vicious during Christian festivals like Easter and Christmas, with churches often being targeted.
It is estimated that since 2011, over 5,700 people have been killed in the endemic violence and 150,000 have become IDPs.
Reverend Yunusa Nmadu, CEO of Christian Solidarity Worldwide in Nigeria said, “It’s unfortunate that Benue, once touted as the food basket of the nation, is grappling with hunger due to the inability of its people to till their farms.
"I urge the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, move from mere rhetoric and perfunctory condemnation to a sincere, committed, and single-minded determination to halt the killings not only in Benue but in other states across the nation, which are bleeding from the menace of armed herdsmen.”
On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV said that he was praying for those who had been killed in what he called “a terrible massacre”.
