Thursday, August 21, 2014

NIGERIA – 'Herdsmen' kill 18 Christians in village raids

August 21, 2014

A total of 18 Christians have been killed in recent gun attacks on communities in Plateau and Kaduna states.
Twelve people died when suspected Fulani herdsmen raided Yelwa village in southern Plateau state on August 11. More than 150 heavily armed gunmen launched the attack, killing villagers and burning houses. Local Christians said the attack was religiously motivated.
On the same morning, in the Christian village of Zarazong, in the Jos East local government area of Plateau, gunmen shot dead two people and burned down local houses. Meanwhile, three days previously, on August 8, gunmen launched a five-hour attack on Gimi Dogara village, Kaduna state, killing four Christians and setting fire to 15 houses.

The Rev Soja Bewarang, chairman of the Plateau chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, confirmed that all those who died in Plateau were members of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN).
Christian leaders in Kaduna say the latest attack on Gimi Dogara brings the death toll for Christians murdered in the south of the state this year to more than 600. They describe the attacks as 'well coordinated and systematic'.

• Please pray for Christians in Plateau and Kaduna: pray they will know that God is Lord over all Nigeria. Pray for an end to the bloodshed and terror. Pray that national and state Governments, and the military, will take firm and decisive action to end the violence and protect Christians.

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