Fulani Herdsmen Kill 15 Christians in Central Nigeria Amid Rising Violence
Fulani Herdsmen Kill 15 Christians in Central Nigeria Amid Rising Violence
At least 15 Christians have been killed in a series of attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria’s central region, sources report. On Thursday, November 6, two Christians were killed in Nasarawa State and two others in Plateau State, following earlier attacks that claimed 11 lives in Plateau.
In Sarkin Noma village, Keana County, Nasarawa, assailants reportedly struck around 11 p.m., killing two residents and abducting another while families slept, according to local resident Dooshima Tse. Another resident, Musa Adamu, confirmed the attack and the abduction.
“Keana Local Government Area is no longer safe,” Adamu said. “Our once-peaceful community has been overrun by armed men. We urgently call on security forces to intervene and restore safety.” Innocent James, a villager, described the attackers as “gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.” Hundreds of residents protested the killings on November 7 by blocking the highway connecting Lafia in Nasarawa to Makurdi in Benue.
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In Plateau State, violence continues in predominantly Christian communities. Two Christians were killed on Thursday in Rachi village, Riyom County, where 11 others had been killed earlier in the week, according to attorney Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri. Five people were also wounded in the latest attack.
“These attacks are part of an escalating wave of violence in Riyom and nearby areas,” Mwantiri said, urging government action to protect local populations. Previous incidents include the killing of six villagers in Kwi, Riyom County, on November 1, and the murder of farmer Bitrus Dakwan in Kubon village, Mangu County, on November 2. Additional attacks in Pushit village on October 31 claimed three more lives.
The Fulani, numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, are predominantly Muslim. While most do not subscribe to extremist ideology, some factions have adopted radical views, targeting Christian communities in ways similar to Boko Haram and ISWAP, according to a 2020 UK parliamentary report.
Christian leaders in Nigeria say the attacks are often motivated by a desire to seize land from Christian farmers and impose Islam, exacerbated by desertification affecting Fulani herding routes.
According to Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List, Nigeria remains one of the most dangerous countries for Christians. Of 4,476 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during the reporting period, 3,100 nearly 70% were in Nigeria. Violence in the North-Central region primarily targets Christian farming communities, while jihadist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and the emerging Lakurawa network continue to spread terror across northern and some southern states.
Nigeria ranked seventh on the 2025 World Watch List, highlighting the extreme risks faced by Christians in the country.
Content Credit: Moyosola Oni
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