Fulani Herdsmen Launch Deadly Attacks on Christians in Kaduna State
Armed Fulani herdsmen stormed two Christian communities in Jema’a County, Kaduna State, on Monday night, killing two residents and injuring several others. The attack comes just a week after a similar abduction in a nearby village.
The gunmen struck Dogon Fili and Antang villages after 9 p.m., leaving chaos in their wake. “One of the victims, Iliya John, 38, was shot dead in Dogon Fili,” said local resident Sandra Musa. She reported that two others, James Ishaya and Elisha Mallam, both 39, were seriously injured in the nearby Antang village. Musa added that some travellers passing through the area were also attacked and kidnapped.
The violence echoes a previous incident on June 28 in Kajuru County, where Obadiah Iguda, a Christian community leader in Bauda village, was kidnapped in his sleep. Local sources said the armed assailants were also suspected Fulani militants.
“This senseless act of violence has deepened fear among Christians in Bauda and nearby areas,” said Stephen Maikori, the community overseer in Kufana District. He called on the Nigerian government to provide security and end the unrelenting attacks.
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Earlier in June, herdsmen reportedly invaded Unguwar Sarki village in Kajuru County at noon, killing another Christian leader. The attackers, described as heavily armed and riding motorbikes in pairs, carried out the operation with precision.
“These invasions are not random,” said Alhaji Ishaya Onnusim, chairman of the Ugom Progressive Union. “They are coordinated efforts aimed at seizing Christian lands and establishing control. This is happening as desertification threatens the herders’ traditional lifestyle.”
Nigeria remains one of the deadliest countries in the world for Christians. According to the 2025 World Watch List by Open Doors, 3,100 of the 4,476 Christians killed for their faith globally were Nigerians about 69 percent.
The report highlights that Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are frequent targets of Islamist militia, especially in the North-Central zone. Groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP, along with radical Fulani factions, continue to wage violence in northern states where government presence is weak.
In addition to killings, abductions for ransom and sexual violence have become widespread. The insecurity has also crept into southern regions, with the emergence of a new terror group, Lakurawa, operating in the northwest. Armed with advanced weapons and backed by Al-Qaeda-linked Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), Lakurawa is expanding its reach. Nigeria ranks seventh on the 2025 World Watch List of the world’s most dangerous countries for Christians.
Content Credit: Dada Blessing
Image Credit: International crisis group.com
