Skip to main content

Radical Muslims Murder More Than 30 Nigerian Christians, Torch Church in Brutal Attack

Share This article

Radical Muslims murdered more than 30 Christians in Nigeria last week. This is just the latest account of systematic Islamic violence towards Christ-followers in that country. 

The Guardian reports that Fulani herdsmen assaulted the Christians around 4 a.m. in Karamar village in the Maro district of Kajuru. The herdsman reportedly set fire to several houses and a church. The terrorists then sporadically shot at families trying to escape the blaze, killing at least 28 people. 

UPDATE! Nigerian Christians Under Siege: Attacks Claim 120 Lives Since February 

Local government officials condemned the vicious attack. "The state government has been assured that the security agencies are working assiduously to contain the situation. The government is saddened by these attacks, condemns the perpetrators and urges all residents of the area to support the security agencies in their efforts to protect communities," said Samuel Aruwan, the senior special assistant to the governor.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) also condemned the deadly assault and urged young Nigerians not to retaliate against the terrorists. 

"We have appealed to the youths in the area that there must never be any reprisal. We want to give the security operatives in the state the benefit of the doubt to go after the killers. We don't want any reprisal attack because the circle of violence and killings will continue," Rev. Joseph Hayap added.

TIRED of the Media's Anti-Christian Bias?
Click Here to Get the Christian Perspective in Your Inbox for FREE

CBN News reported last year that hundreds of Christians were killed in clashes with the Muslim herdsman. 

Last June, Fulani herdsmen, who are mostly Muslim attacked six predominantly Christian villages in Nigeria's Plateau state. Many of those killed were Christians, and they were reportedly hacked to death.

According to the Global Terrorism Index, Fulani herdsmen have killed more than 60,000 people since 2001.

Bosun Emmanuel, secretary of the National Christian Elders Forum and a prominent Nigerian Christian leader, says the Muslim community has done little to protect Christians and believes Christianity will go extinct in Nigeria if no one helps. 

"Realistically speaking, Christianity is on the brink of extinction in Nigeria," Emmanuel claimed during a forum. "The ascendancy of Sharia ideology in Nigeria rings the death knell for the Nigerian Church."

READ: How Is Christianity any Different than Other Religions?

"In 2018, we can say in 25 years from now, we are facing the risk of being the last Christians in Nigeria," Emmanuel claimed. "Therefore, Christians should be in the frontline of defending democracy in Nigeria."

Christian persecution watchdog group Open Doors ranks Nigeria high on the "World Watch List," sitting at number 12 just below Syria.

Share This article

About The Author

Emily
Jones

Emily Jones is a multi-media journalist for CBN News in Jerusalem. Before she moved to the Middle East in 2019, she spent years regularly traveling to the region to study the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, meet with government officials, and raise awareness about Christian persecution. During her college years, Emily served as president of Regent University's Christians United for Israel chapter and spoke alongside world leaders at numerous conferences and events. She is an active member of the Philos Project, an organization that seeks to promote positive Christian engagement with the Middle