During Holy Week, at least 94 people died in a series of attacks against Christian communities in Benue state, north-central Nigeria. This is a sign of escalation of the activities of the Muslim militias in the region.
Palm Sunday, April 2, a group of armed men attacked a Pentecostal Protestant church in Akenawe-Tswarev Logo district, was celebrating mass, killed a teenager, kidnapped pastoral staff and other members of the church. other believers.
Three days later, on April 5, an armed group killed at least 50 people in the village of Umogidi, in the district of Utokpo, which is considered a Catholic area in western Benue state.
More recently, on Good Friday, April 7, dozens of people were killed when armed Muslims attacked a primary school in the village of Ngban, which was used as a shelter for 100 farmers. displaced Christians and their families. The incident left 43 people dead and more than 40 injured, according to Father Remigius Ihyila, chairman of the Commission for Justice, Development and Peace in Benue State.
Hours before the attack, Benue Governor Samuel Ortom urged the public to remain vigilant and criticized the slow response of the police and military in responding to residents' calls for help. . For four years now, Governor Ortom has called for changes to federal law so that people can buy weapons for self-defense. In visiting survivors of this attack, Governor Ortom said at least 134 people had been killed in attacks within five days, including the previous April 3 attack in Apa, resulting in 47 deaths.
The state of Benue has about two million displaced people, unable to live in their traditional farming areas for fear of being killed. There are some farmers who return to work in their fields during the day, and at night they withdraw to temporary camps for displaced people.
(CNA 10-4-2023)