by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - Two Christians in Benue State, Nigeria were beheaded Monday by Muslim Fulani herdsmen, Morning Star News reported. Another Christian was shot dead on Saturday by a group of herdsman in Bokkos county, Plateau state. These are the latest in ongoing murderous attacks on Nigerian Christians. Nigeria ranked second in Open Doors’ 2020 World Watch List of countries where Christians are killed for their faith, after Pakistan.
Monday’s beheadings came after four years of attacks by Muslim herdsmen on Nigerian Christians from the Agatu area of Benue. In a text message to Morning Star, local resident Louis Oguche reported: “Oche Alaade and his friend who had visited the village [of Ologba] were traveling out of the village on their way back to Obagaji town where they reside when they were ambushed by the Fulani herdsmen and their heads cut off.”
Such attacks have also taken place in the Benue state counties of Div-Nzaav, Chongu, Abaji and Mbanyiar in Kwande and Guma. Sixteen Christians were killed in Benue state last month, Morning Star News reported.
In regards to Saturday’s killing in Bokkos County, Plateau state, local resident John Machief told Morning Star News: “Mabur Mallo Gwang was attacked in his house at about 8 p.m. and was shot dead by the Fulani herdsmen. The herdsmen were armed with guns and machetes. They forced their way into the victim’s house by shooting and breaking doors into his house.” Machief told Morning Star News that Gwang had been a member of the local Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) congregation. The murder was confirmed by Yusuf Machen, chairman of the Bokkos Local Government Council. Herdsmen have been attacking Christians in Bokkos for three years.
Christian Solidarity International (CSI) issued a genocide warning for Nigeria on January 30. It has called on the United Nations Security Council to take action against what it says is the rise in violence against Christians by Islamist militants in the north and central areas of the country.