Radical Fulani kidnap dozens of Christians in church attack

Abuja, Nigeria — Less than a week after kidnapping nearly 60 members of the same denomination in north-central Nigeria, suspected Fulani herders have kidnapped dozens of Christians at a church service in north-west Nigeria, sources said.

In northwestern Nigeria, suspected herdsmen and other terrorists attacked the night services of the Church of the Little Angels and Seraphim in Suleha, Niger state, around 2 a.m. Saturday, kidnapping pastors and other Christians, local residents said.

Suleja resident Nathaniel Ade said the congregation held an all-night prayer vigil at the church site in the Japap area of ​​Suleja when the Fulani herdsmen attacked. Another town resident, Elisha Musa, also identified the attackers as Fulani herdsmen, who are mostly Muslim.

“Fulani herders kidnapped the pastor of the church and some of his members,” Musa said in a text message to Morning Star News. “Soldiers from the Suleihazuma Rock Barracks arrived at the church to rescue the faithful and repel the attackers hours after the attackers left with the kidnapped victims.”

Despite the release of kidnapped Pastor Leo Rafael Ozighi, Christians in Niger and other states in northwestern Nigeria are still in the dark, said Rev Rafael Opavoye, secretary general of the Niger State Chapter of the Nigerian Christian Association (CAN) Attacks by herders and other terrorists continue unabated. After paying the ransom.

Opavoye told Morningstar News in a text message: “In March, terrorists and herders kidnapped 45 people in two consecutive days of consecutive attacks on the community of Sakin Pawa town and some communities in the local government area of ​​Munia, Niger state. Christian.” “A Catholic priest, priest. Leo Rafael Ozghi, was kidnapped on 27 March on his way back from Gwada town to Sarkin Pawa town, where he was preaching in one of his parishes. The family of a Catholic priest had to pay a hefty ransom to bandits and terrorists to secure his release from captivity. “

Kidnapping in Kaduna

In the north-central Nigerian state of Kaduna, suspected Fulani herders and other terrorists attacked houses in the area and an overnight prayer vigil at another cherub and Seraphim church on September 13-14 The campaign has kidnapped at least 57 Christians, but as many as 14 could soon escape, sources said.

According to Rev. John Joseph Hayab, president of CAN Kaduna state, at least 43 Christians remain captive following the raid in Kasuwan Magani town in Kajuru district.

In addition to the kidnapped church members, some Christians were also kidnapped from their homes, Awemi Maisamari, national president of the South Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), said in a press statement.

“The Christian community in southern Kaduna still has no breathing room as terrorists, jihadists, bandits and armed herders continue to loot and destroy the Christian community in southern Kaduna state,” Messamari said.

Kasuwan Magani is about 12 miles (20 km) south of Kaduna city. He said that on September 12, attackers had kidnapped six people in a raid in the Ungwan Fada area of ​​Kasuwan Magani.

“As nothing was done to prevent it from happening again, the next day, September 13, terrorists attacked the Cherubim and Seraphim churches around midnight during a night vigil in the Bayan Kasuwa dormitory area in Kasuwan Magani town,” Mesa said. Mari said. “They managed to kidnap more than 60 Christians from the church and nearby houses. However, they were not able to take them all because some of the children were very young, too old or had health problems.”

He said that while bringing the captives to the camp, herdsmen and other terrorists attacked the village of Janwuriya, another predominantly Christian community near Kasuwan Magani, and kidnapped two other Christians.

“As of Monday, September 19, 45 Christians have so far been confirmed to have been kidnapped by terrorists,” Messamari said. “However, on September 18, their kidnappers contacted some families in the town by phone and claimed they were holding only 40 people.”

The kidnappers may have said they had 40 captives because they had killed five of them, he said, adding that the terrorists demanded a ransom of $465,294 (200 million naira).

Another Cherubim and Seraphim church this month southwest nigeriaIn Ogun state, animists of the tribal religion burned down a church building on Sept. 2 where Christians were performing services and vigils, local residents said.

Many Christians were injured in the attack on the churches of Cherubim and Seraphim in the Agbardo region, local residents said.

The number of Christians killed for their faith in Nigeria last year (October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021) was 4,650, up from 3,530 last year, according to Open Doors’ World Watch List 2022 report. world number one. Nigeria also had the highest number of kidnapped Christians at more than 2,500, up from 990 last year, according to the WWL report.

Nigeria is second only to China in the number of attacks on churches, with 470, the report said.

In the 2022 World Watch List of the hardest countries to become a Christian, Nigeria jumped from 9th the previous year to 7th, the highest ranking ever.

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