At least 50 Christians were brutally killed on 8 August within the predominantly Christian village of Ayati, positioned in Ukum County, Benue State, Nigeria. Local reports indicate that the deadly assault was allegedly carried out by Fulani herdsmen in collaboration with a criminally motivated gang.
The attack occurred around 5.00pm, leaving the local people devastated. Tivta Samuel, a resident of the realm, confirmed the tragic event, stating, “Suspected herdsmen militias killed over 50 Christians in Ayati village.” Another local, Abraham Waroh, corroborated this, identifying “Fulani herdsmen militias” because the attackers, Christian Daily International-Morning Star News reports.
The violence reportedly stemmed from a land dispute, with criminals allegedly “selling” the villagers’ land to the herdsmen.
Shima Ayati, an area resident and former gubernatorial candidate, explained that after the herdsmen began grazing their cattle on the land, the farmers lodged complaints with government authorities. “The government dispatched the state security outfit who got here and chased the herdsmen away and burnt their tents, which got them indignant,” Ayati said.
Elaborating on the background of the situation, Ayati added, “They claimed that the bandits sold the land to them, they usually went and met the bandits. So the herdsmen and bandits went to the village and carried out a massacre.”
Enraged by the destruction of their property, the herdsmen reportedly collaborated with the criminal gang to perform a massacre in retaliation.
Although security forces intervened and dispersed the herdsmen, they failed to offer adequate protection for the realm, leaving the villagers vulnerable to further attacks. As a result, 50 Christians then suffered these appalling consequences.
In recent months, other Christian communities in Ukum have also faced similar violence. On 21 July, Fulani bandits attacked the Sankera community, killing three Christians, including a really young boy, in response to local resident Clement Kolough.
“The Fulani bandits numbering 9 rode on motorcycles, armed with guns and machetes, and attacked the people within the Sankera community, killing two adults and a boy who was 6 years old,” said Kolough.
Earlier, on third July, Fulanis attacked Ayati and Borikyo villages, leading to the deaths of 11 Christians.
Catherine Anene, a spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, confirmed the attack but indicated that further information was still pending. She acknowledged the frequent bandit activities in Ukum, Logo, and Kastina-Ala local government areas, telling told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News, “Police personnel and people of other security agencies were deployed to the affected areas, and the bandits were successfully dislodged in operations by security personnel.”
Nigeria stays one of the vital dangerous countries on the earth for Christians, with 4,118 people killed for his or her faith between 1st October 2022 and thirtieth September 2023, in response to Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List. The country also recorded the very best variety of Christian kidnappings, with 3,300 cases reported.
While not all Fulani herdsmen subscribe to extremist views, some have adopted radical Islamist ideologies just like those of Boko Haram and ISWAP, targeting Christians and their communities.
Christian leaders in Nigeria imagine that the herdsmen’s attacks are driven by a desire to seize Christian lands and freeholds, with the last word goal of imposing Islamic rule. This situation is exacerbated by the challenges of sustaining large, healthy herds and livelihoods within the region’s harsh, often desert-like conditions.
