Recent attacks by extremist groups in Mangu County, in the Nigerian state of Plateau, resulted in the deaths of at least 24 Christians and the closure of 10 churches, including a community that is now used as a mosque, a local religious leader said.
In total, the episodes led to the expulsion of 500 members from churches in a dozen villages spread across the region. “One of the places of worship in the affected Christian communities was converted into a mosque by the Fulani – a nomadic extremist group – who occupied three communities,” Pastor Saleh told the portal Christian Daily Internationall.
Furthermore, the religious leader said that all the houses of believers were destroyed. “The ruins of the community and members’ homes were occupied by extremists who today use the area to graze their cattle. The situation in Kantoma is horrible. Christians who survived the attacks have nowhere to return,” he said.
Nigeria remains the deadliest country in the world in relation to adherents of the Christian faith, with 4,118 deaths recorded last year due to religious persecution, according to data collected between October 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023 by the NGO Portas Abertas. The country is also known as the country with the most kidnappings of Christians in the world, with 3,300 cases annually.
Nigeria was also the third country with the highest number of attacks on churches and other Christian buildings, such as hospitals, schools and cemeteries, with 750, according to the report. On the 2024 World Watch List, it was named as the most difficult place to follow the Christian faith, being listed in 6th place in the ranking.
Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, the Fulani group is predominantly made up of Muslims, divided into hundreds of clans of many different lineages that do not hold extremist views, for the most part. However, some adhere to radical Islamic ideology, such as the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG).
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