Yet another tragedy has befallen the Christian community in northern Nigeria.

The latest attack on Christians by extremist Muslims has seen a father and son were killed, and three women and a baby abducted, in an attack in Nigeria's northern state of Kano, in the largely Muslim area of Tudun Wada.

World Watch Monitor reports that the armed attackers shot a father and son before going to other houses and kidnapping the baby and three women.

Kano state is in the north of Nigeria which is under the control of Sharia influenced governments. The South is mainly Christian while the middle of the country sees pockets of both faith s predominant.

In the north, a series of attacks on Christians and churches have taken place. In 2007 a series of churches were burnt and at least nine people killed.

The victims of the latest atrocity were named as Dankali, a 62-year-old local Christian, and his son, Micah Kale who was 20. Both victims' widows are reported to have fled with their children.

Open Doors, the anti-persecution charity describes Nigeria as being the twelfth most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian. It says 'in northern Nigeria, Christians who have already been displaced by Boko Haram extremists are being forced out of their refugee camps and denied access to vital aid.'