There's been a fresh wave of fatal attacks on Christians in Nigeria's Plateau State by Islamist Fulani herdsmen.
The violence took place in Bokkos County, prompting the state’s governor to describe what was happening as ‘genocide’.
Fulani Islamist militants, often referred to as Fulani herdsmen or Fulani extremists, are targetting Christian farming communities in the Middle Belt and northern parts of the country. The region straddles the Muslim-majority north and the Christian South. Violence significantly escalated between 2010 and 2014 and again a fresh wave in the last 4 years.
Early this month Christian Daily International-Morning Star News reported that more than 60 Christians had been killed in attacks which began at the end of March and ended on April 2nd.
Christian persecution charity Open Doors says sources on the ground report that victims were shot and others burned. The victims included elderly women and children.
The Fulani Ethnic Militia is a group organised along ethnic and Islamist lines. In the past they have been known to attack other Muslims - but Christians by far face the greatest number of attacks.
Plateau State authorities have condemned the attacks and called for calm from residents and community leaders.
According to Bishop Ayuba Matawal, chairman of the Bokkos Internally Displaced People's Welfare Committee, six people are still missing and 3000 are displaced.
Speaking to Premier News, Matawal said: "These people - they are Christian communities. The first place they go when they attack - they look for the church. They look for the pastor. They shout 'Allahu Akbar'. They want to erase anything that looks Christian in those communities."
Echoing the state governor's words, he said Christians were being deliberately targeted.
"This is not a clash, because if you have a clash that means two people are fighting - but people are coming in times when people are not even prepared."
The bishop called for the international community to pray for Christians in the region, saying it is "encouraging". He also emphasised the vulnerability of rural communities: "With what would you retahilate? What would you use?.. You don't have the AK47s. You are retaliating with sticks."
Open Doors said Nigeria accounted for about 90% of all Christians killed worldwide for their faith in 2023.