by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - Although exact figures are disputed locally, more than 100 predominately Christian villages in Nigeria’s Kaduna are reported to now be occupied by Fulani Islamic militants, persecution watchdog International Christian Concern (ICC) reported last week. Thousands of residents from the occupied villages have reportedly been displaced by the terrorists. Nevertheless, ICC said, “disagreements over attacks and incidents have led to the confusion and furthered the problems that have plagued the Middle Belt Crisis.”
In a press release, Luka Binniyat, spokesman of the Southern Kaduna People’s Union, said over 50,000 people had to leave their communities to live with relatives and friends or at Internally Displaced Persons’ camps, ICC reported. Binniyat also said that numerous Christians were killed last month as they tried to return home.
However, a second group called the Southern Kaduna Peace Practitioners (SOKAPEP) disputes Binniyat’s account, claiming he is disseminating false reports, ICC reports. In a statement, SOKAPEP said: “We hasten to state that the claims made by Binniyat, the National PRO of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, were deliberately concocted, to achieve a premeditated agenda of hate, incitement and confusion.”
Referencing the disagreements about facts on the ground, ICC noted: “Without clear and true statements on attacks, or a group who can be trusted to report on this issue. Kaduna State has been one of the most volatile regions in Nigeria.”
In any event, International Christian Concern has stated it will continue to monitor and report on the situation in Kaduna and the rest of the Middle Belt.