by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - Forty-six Christians plus a number of their children have been kidnapped by suspected Fulani terrorist herdsmen during yet another attack on beleaguered Christian communities in Nigeria’s Kaduna state, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
With Middle Belt states like Kaduna at the epicenter of sustained violent attacks on believers, Nigeria ranked number one in the world for the number of Christians kidnapped last year - over 2500.
The Christians were abducted during a March 17 attack by heavily armed militants on the predominantly Christian village of Agunu Dutse village, Kachia County, in southern Kaduna state, MSN said. The attack happened at midnight.
“The herdsmen terrorists invaded our village, Agunu Dutse, while the Christian villagers were sleeping,” area resident Rahila John Nuhu told Morning Star News in a text message. “Please be in prayer for these Christians being held captive in an unknown location at the moment.”
In a separate text message to MSN, local resident Philip John said16 men, 30 women and an unknown number of children were kidnapped in the attack. “They trooped into our village in large numbers and began shooting indiscriminately at anyone on sight,” John said.
Nigeria ranked seventh on the US Open Doors Watch List 2022 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. Moreover, according to International Christian Concern, Nigeria ranked number one in the world for the number of Christians murdered last year - 4,650.