Women and children in Nigeria have taken to the streets after yet another attack on their Christian community left three people dead and three others critically injured.
The incident happened at around 8am on 11th August in Yelewata, Benue State. The town is up to 98 per cent Christian and has suffered repeated assaults in recent months.
Fr Ukuma Jonathan Angbianbee, parish priest of Yelewata, told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that fear has once again gripped the community.
“It is terrible, people are traumatised, it is a horrific thing to happen,” he said. “People are protesting and refusing to leave the street. Women and children are blocking the road because they do not feel safe, even with security presence. Nothing seems to be working, the security is not protecting them enough. Today’s incident shows that security is not guaranteed.”
The attack took place on farmland abandoned after a massacre in June when 271 people were killed in one night.
“The Fulani come with their cattle and take over farmland and kill anyone who puts up resistance,” Fr Ukuma explained.
The priest believes the violence is driven by multiple factors including economic, political and religious motivations.
“People of a particular religion talk about trying to take over the land,” he said. “Looking at it as a church man, the fact that it has affected the church so badly, we can say it is religiously motivated. Our churches are attacked, the people are no longer there, our community is decimated.”
He added that confidence among returning residents is fading.
“People were beginning to come back little by little but with the lack of security, confidence is no longer there,” he said. “When situations like this keep reoccurring, it becomes even more difficult for us to preach the Good News, to really know how to get the message across to give them hope.”
Despite the suffering, Fr Ukuma said the people’s faith remains unshaken.
“They remain trusting and open that despite everything God has not abandoned them. We are calling for prayers and for peace to prevail in Nigeria and for our government to do more to provide a stable environment so people can survive and thrive on their own.”
Nigeria is ranked seventh on this year's Open Doors World Watch List which ranks the countries where Christians face the most persecution.
