Nigeria (International Christian Concern – Fulani militants with sophisticated weapons attacked a Christian community and killed four Christians, locals told an ICC staffer. The militants also killed a Nigerian soldier and took his AK-47 rifle in Rikwechongu Village, located in the northwest of Plateau State’s capital area.
An ICC staffer investigated the attack and confirmed that it was Fulani militants who carried out the attack. The militants left with one of their victims’ phone and used it to call back to the village. In the call, which was recorded and reviewed by ICC, the militants used the Hausa language and promised more attacks.
Davidson Malison published details of the attack to journalists in Jos, Plateau’s capital city. “Rikwe-Chong village of Kwall District was attacked…by Fulani militiamen,” Malison said. “Three Rigwe people have been confirmed killed and one of the soldiers stationed there was also killed. One person was injured, several houses were razed, many food barns were destroyed, harvested food was burnt, an uncountable number of domestic animals were carted away, and other valuable items were also stolen.”
Deaths included Markus Audu (41), Yah Hwenke (42), and Amus Kanga (61).
The Rikwechongo Village has been attacked several times. Locals told ICC, that 37 people were killed and thousands of people have been displaced since 2017.
An ICC staffer visited the widow of one of the recent victims, Yah Hwenke. It was his phone that militants used to call the village and promise more attacks.
Three of the locals were buried in the village according to local Christian burial traditions, while the soldier was taken to his original home for burial. Locals said that the Fulani militants have killed 9 Christian soldiers that came for peacekeeping in the past four years. Still, though, nothing was done to arrest the terrorists.
An ICC staffer visited the village on Easter Friday and saw over thirty hectares of farmland belonging to the Christians destroyed and Fulani occupying the land to graze their animals.
This article originally appeared here.