Nigeria is in the middle of a civil war with Islamic terrorists. According to recent numbers, 230 Christians have been butchered with guns and machetes:
ICC has confirmed that the death toll in recent attacks on villages near Jos, Nigeria has risen to more than 230 Christians. The attacks are believed to have been conducted by Fulani militants who used machetes and firearms to slaughter the predominantly Berom villagers. The police originally reported that 86 had been killed, but our local representative was part of the body recovery effort and has confirmed this much higher number.
The series of attacks took place in the villages of Xland, Gindin Akwati, Ruku, Nghar, Kura Falls, Kakuruk, Rakok, Kok, and Razat. All of these villages are in the districts of Gashish and Ropp in the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area. Many of the victims were women and young children. The youngest person known to have been killed was a three-month-old baby boy who was slaughtered by machete.
The first attack took place Saturday after the funeral of a relative of an important clergyman in Gashish District. Pam Chollom, a pastor who leads the Church of Christ in Nations reported, “Fulani people attacked our members who attended the burial of the father of one of our clergy…The armed Fulani ambushed the sympathizers on their way back from the burial, attacked and killed 34 persons from Bekan village, 39 others from Kufang, and 47 from Ruku Village.”
A resident reported via telephone to Morning Star News that 70 corpses have been recovered in the village of Nghar, and that the entire village had been burned.
In Xland and Gindin Akwati villages, the herdsmen killed about 60 Christians, another resident reported over the phone. Multiple churches, worship buildings, and pastors’ homes were targeted in these attacks. Thousands of people have been displaced in these villages and are now unable to access their homes or work on their farms.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari released a response to the attacks via Twitter: “The grievous loss of lives and property arising from the killings in Plateau is painful and regrettable. My deepest condolences to the affected communities. We will not rest until all murderers and criminal elements and their sponsors are incapacitated and brought to justice.”
However, Reverend T. Y. Danjuma of the Christian Association of Nigeria quotes President Buhari as telling a post-attack gathering of leaders “to learn to live peacefully with their neighbors,” and that “the Fulani are known to be peaceful and carry stick, but are not known to have guns.” Buhari’s seeming indifference has left many people in Jos angry over the continued violence and inaction by the government.
There has been controversy over whether or not the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) claimed its people had committed the attacks. A published article credited Danladi Ciroma, a MACBAN leader, with saying the attack was conducted by Fulani in reprisal for the rustling of cattle. However, a subsequent report claimed that Ciroma never made these statements. The conflicting reports have added confusion to an already chaotic situation. (source)
A month ago, we warned that Nigeria should expect more terrorist attacks as it transitioned to the Yuan for payment of crude oil instead of the dollar.
Boko Haram has been connected to funding from the USA. This is not a surprise, because as it has been well-documented, the US has a consistent history of funding terrorist groups in order to wage proxy wars against either larger nations or in order to wage economic war for the purpose of financial or political gain.
The persecution taking place today in Nigeria is terrifying, and the bishops have warned that if they continue, Christianity might become extinct within 25 years even with the massive growth that Christianity has seen in that nation.
Nigeria is a nation that will need to be continue to be watched because there are no signs that the persecution is going to stop any time soon.