Targeted Christian killings continue in Nigeria: 28 dead in past month
Christian communities in central Nigeria are in deep distress following a wave of brutal attacks by Fulani militias that have left at least 28 people dead across Plateau State over the past month. These assaults, targeting rural villages and Christian families in their homes and fields, have sparked urgent calls for government action.
In Bassa County, Fulani herdsmen launched multiple deadly attacks between March and April, killing nine Christians in ambushes, according to Morning Star News. On April 7, Hwrra village was attacked just a day after nearby Hukke village was invaded—both incidents left survivors shaken.
Local leaders describe the violence as part of a deliberate and escalating campaign. Joseph Chudu Yonkpa, a local youth leader, told Morning Star News that Christians have been ambushed while farming, and others have been killed in broad daylight. He stressed the strategic nature of the violence.
“These attacks go beyond killings,” Yonkpa said. “Their cattle graze freely on our farms, destroying crops and livelihoods. This is a calculated effort to destabilize and impoverish our Christian communities.”
Yonkpa urged Nigerian authorities to act decisively by arresting and prosecuting those behind the attacks.
The violence in Bassa is reflective of a larger crisis affecting Plateau State. In Bokkos County, Fulani herdsmen killed 19 Christians in March alone. One of the most horrific incidents occurred on March 28 in Ruwi village, where 10 Christians were slaughtered during a wake. According to local resident Kefas Mallau, many of the victims were women, and attackers used both firearms and machetes.
On March 6, a pastor’s widow, her son, and two grandchildren were murdered in Pyakmalu village, while five Christians were killed in Hurti village on March 3. Attackers frequently set homes ablaze after killing residents.
Pastors in the area report that fear and trauma are now constant companions. “Seeing countless corpses and conducting mass burials has become our grim new normal,” said Pastor Ayuba Matawal. “Daily kidnappings, molestation, and the rape of Christian women—especially in rural communities—have become alarmingly routine.”
Ruth Ki, a cybersecurity expert from the region, noted that over 1,100 Christians have been killed in Bassa County since 2001, with nearly 27,000 farmlands destroyed.
“These numbers are more than statistics—they reflect lives lost, families torn apart, and communities devastated,” Ki said. “Every destroyed farm is a family pushed into hunger and economic hardship. The impact is both human and deeply humanitarian.”
CatholicVote and other watchdogs have long reported on the targeted nature of this violence, noting a pattern of religious and territorial aggression by Fulani militias aiming to displace Christian populations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. The 2025 World Watch List by Open Doors highlights Nigeria as the most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian, with the nation accounting for 69% of Christian deaths globally.