Fulani Militants Kill Christians In Nigeria As Violence Escalates

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

ABUJA (Worthy News) – Suspected Islamic “Fulani terrorists” killed at least eight Christians in Nigeria’s central Plateau state, Christian sources said Monday, days after scores of people were killed in a separate attack.

Christians said those targeted were killed over the April 3–11 period, when many celebrated or prepared for Easter, as part of what they described as a broader Islamic crackdown.

In the latest violence, assailants reportedly attacked Jol village in Riyom County on Saturday night, April 11, killing Geoffrey Infinity and another Christian identified only as Kefas, area residents said.

“Last night, April 11, there were gunshots everywhere by Fulani terrorists,” resident Blessing Bature told Christian Daily International–Morning Star News. “Please pray for Gwa-wereng, Gwa-Rim, Rim, and Jol communities,” he added.

MULTIPLE ATTACKS REPORTED

Resident King Joshua said armed Fulani militants carried out several attacks across villages.

“Fulani terrorists have killed a Christian, Geoffrey Infinity,” he said, adding that the victim had been his former roommate at a polytechnic in Barkin Ladi. It was not immediately clear how many Christians were among the victims.

In Bachi District, residents said attackers killed a Christian student, Badung Sunday Alamba, on April 6 in what community leaders described as a premeditated ambush.

Another Christian, Dachomo Habila, narrowly escaped the assault, according to local officials.

Further killings were reported in Jol village on April 3 and in Barkin Ladi County, where at least one Christian was killed and others injured in an ambush near a Christian organization’s offices.

BROADER PATTERN OF VIOLENCE

In Pwomol village, three Christians were killed in another attack, with one more person wounded, officials confirmed.

Police said security forces engaged the attackers in a gun battle and later arrested a suspect.

In Barkin Ladi County’s Nding community, Fulani attackers ambushed three Christians, killing one and injuring two others, residents said.

The killings came days after another massacre in the same region, where unknown gunmen attacked a university community in Plateau state late Sunday, March 29, killing at least 30 people, officials and residents said.

The University of Jos suspended examinations that were due to begin the following day.

MASSACRE ADDS TO TENSIONS

“People were here in the evening, and unfortunately, wicked terrorists came and attacked our people,” said Paul Mancha, a resident and youth council chairperson. “We have counted scores of people who are now dead, and many others are in the hospital receiving treatment.”

While some observers described the violence as part of ongoing “farmer–Fulani herder conflicts,” Christian investigators said the attacks go beyond land disputes, arguing that believers are increasingly targeted because of their faith.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump last November re-designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” saying Christians were being targeted and authorities were failing to protect them, a claim the Nigerian government has denied.

More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country between October 2024 and September 2025, according to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List.

Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide during that period, 3,490—about 72 percent—were in Nigeria.

INTERNATIONAL CONCERNS

Nigeria ranked seventh on the list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

Analysts say some Fulani groups have adopted tactics similar to Islamist organizations such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), targeting Christian communities and symbols of the faith.

Christian leaders say the violence is fueled by a mix of extremist ideology and competition over land, as desertification pressures herders to move into farming regions.

The insecurity has spread beyond central Nigeria, with jihadist groups expanding operations and abductions for ransom increasing sharply in recent years.

A new jihadist group, Lakurawa, has also emerged in the northwest, linked to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), according to reports.

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