by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) human rights group has said the murder of Christians in Nigeria has reached “genocidal” levels, Christian Today reports. According to Intersociety, more than 1,200 Nigerian Christians were murdered by Muslim Fulani and Islamist militants in the first half of 2020 alone.
The Intersociety report says 390 of the killings were carried out by groups linked to ISIS like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province. Meanwhile, around 812 murders are understood to have been carried out by Fulani herdsmen who have consistently attacked Christian farming communities.
"Thousands of defenseless Christians who survived being hacked to death have also been injured and left in mutilated conditions with several of them crippled for life," the report said. "Hundreds of Christian worship and learning centers have been destroyed or burnt; likewise thousands of dwelling houses, farmlands and other properties belonging to Christians."
Attesting that Christians, specifically, are being targeted by Fulani herdsmen, Intersociety said in its report: "All the areas under Jihadist Herdsmen attacks are Christian communities, as to date. There are no pieces of evidence anywhere showing killing of Muslims and taking over of their lands, farmlands and houses or destruction or burning of Mosques by the Jihadist Herdsmen." Moreover, the report said, the number of women and girls being abducted is growing rapidly. According to Intersociety, these women hardly ever escape and some are forced into Islamist marriages while others are abused as sex slaves.
Ayo Adedoyin, the Chief Executive of PSJ UK, an organization campaigning to end the persecution of Christians and other minorities in Nigeria, has formally asked the UK Government to help those persecuted in Nigeria - like it helped and supported the Rohingya Muslims in Burma.