Renewed Wave of Fulani Attacks Leaves Christians Dead in Benue State, Nigeria

Image: Jihad Watch

A fresh wave of violence has struck Christian communities in Nigeria’s Benue state, where Fulani herdsmen on August 24 killed two Christians in Guma County. The attack follows earlier assaults in the same month that left five other Christians dead, bringing renewed fear to an area that has already endured large-scale massacres.

According to local sources, all seven Christians slain in August were killed in Guma County, the same region where up to 200 Christians were brutally murdered in coordinated assaults on June 13–14 in Yelwata village. The latest incidents underscore the escalating insecurity in one of Nigeria’s most heavily targeted Christian areas.

On August 24, armed Fulani herdsmen launched an ambush against Christian farmers in Tse Orkpe, a predominantly Christian village. Tivta Samuel Aondohemba, a resident of the area, described how the assailants stormed the farmlands and began shooting indiscriminately. “One of the victims, Mr. Mboi Toli, who had already been displaced from Igyungu Aze village, was shot dead instantly,” Aondohemba said. “Another farmer managed to escape the initial gunfire but later succumbed to bullet wounds.”

He compared the attack to hunters chasing prey, noting that the herdsmen pursued the farmers with ruthless precision. “At the moment, the Ukpiam-Umenger road has been completely taken over and blocked by armed Fulani bandits,” he added. “They kill any Christian villager who dares to use the road.”

Local intelligence reports point to a buildup of armed Fulani camps in neighboring Nasarawa state. Area resident Garshagu Atovigba said that surveillance carried out on August 28 revealed a concentration of suspected Fulani militias in Tungwa Manja village, located in Doka District, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa state. “It is believed that their planned target of attack is Christian communities in Guma Local Government Area of Benue state,” Atovigba explained.

The August 24 killings were part of a series of assaults throughout the month. On August 13, Fulani raiders stormed Uikpam, another Christian-majority village in Guma County, killing two men identified as Francis Nomsoor and Kelvin. Local resident Joseph Dugeri said it was the second time the community had been attacked. Similarly, on August 11, Fulani assailants targeted Yelwata village again, leaving three Christians dead. Resident Daniel Ikpeme emphasized the ongoing vulnerability of the area, pointing out that Yelwata had already suffered one of the deadliest massacres in recent years when over 200 Christians were killed in June.

The persistent and brutal attacks have heightened fears among local communities, many of whom have already been displaced. Residents warn that the presence of armed Fulani camps nearby signals the likelihood of further assaults on Christian settlements, raising concerns that the violence will continue to escalate unless urgent action is taken.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)