by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - There has been an uptick in attacks on Christians in Nigeria by Fulani jihadist herdsmen, and on May 5, six people were boldly slaughtered in their homes during a raid on a predominantly Christian village in Kaduna state, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
Together with Plateau State and Benue State, Kaduna State is one of northern Nigeria’s worst affected areas by the ongoing slaughter of Christians by Islamic terrorists. Tens of thousands of Christians in northern Nigeria have been murdered with impunity since Islamic terrorism took hold in the region in 2009.
In the early hours of the morning on Sunday, May 5, Fulani herdsmen descended on the predominantly Christian Ambe village in Sanga County, Kaduna, and began murdering people in their beds. “They were armed with deadly weapons like guns, machetes, and cudgels,” local resident Zechariah Sanga told MSN. “The herdsmen on arrival shot into houses and at anyone they sighted.” In addition to the six who were slain, eight other residents were wounded and taken to hospital for treatment.
Daniel Amos, a member of Nigeria’s National Assembly, said in a May 6 press statement: “I strongly condemn this heinous act, which is another attempt to destabilize the peace and security in my constituency and our dear state. It is unacceptable that our people cannot live in peace without fear of being attacked by these criminal elements.”
“I also call on the security agencies to act swiftly to apprehend the perpetrators of this evil act and bring them to justice,” Amos added. “The safety of our people must remain a top priority. We cannot allow the criminals to continue to operate with impunity.”
Nigeria ranks six on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. According to the latest data from the Open Doors international Christian advocacy organization, 4,118 Christians were killed for their faith from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023 - more than in the rest of the world combined.