By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
ABUJA, NIGERIA (Worthy News)-- Muslim herdsmen are suspected to have slaughtered Christians like cattle in coordinated attacks on four Plateau state villages in central Nigeria early Tuesday morning, according to Morning Star News.
In their attacks on the predominantly Christian villages, ethnic Fulani herdsmen killed 37 and injured many more, according to a press release by Special Task Force spokesman Salisu Mustapha.
Mustapha also confirmed the identity of the attackers by phone to Morning Star while his forces were still fighting them.
Church leaders suspect that Islamic extremists are inciting Fulani Muslims to attack Christians in Plateau state as well as in Kaduna, Bauchi, Nasarawa and Benue states. The herdsmen are working together to take Christian lands for grazing their cattle and to expand Islamic influence into predominantly Christian regions.
Felicia Anselem, spokesperson for the Plateau State Command of the Nigeria Police, confirmed that the attacks were coordinated.
“The attacks were carried out at about 1 a.m. this morning (Nov. 26) in the villages of Rawuru, Tasu, Foron and Gurabok. The attackers attacked the villages at the same time, having gone there in groups.”
The Rev. Soja Bewarang, president of the Church of Christ in Nigeria, said Christians are acutely aware that God has the final say on the persecution the church is now facing in Nigeria.
“Even as we are looking at these issues, we need not forget that God has the final say on man and his security concerns,” he said. “Therefore, we must always surrender our security concerns to the Lord, because the Watchman watches in vain if the Lord does not watch alongside with him.”