Call for prayer after 18 Christians killed in attack in Nigeria

Members of a Christian family mourn three relatives who were killed by armed Fulani herdsmen in Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria.Reuters

Fulani militants killed 18 Christians in a Nigerian village earlier this week, International Christian Concern reports (ICC).

The attack on Tuesday evening was the second against Nigeria's Christian community in the space of a week. 

An eyewitness told ICC that this is now the seventh attack on the village of Ancha by Islamist militants. 

Victims of the latest attack included the secretary of the local Baptist church.

The militants also burned down over a hundred homes, food stores and crops. 

Survivor John Rivu Bulus said that he is the sole surviving family member from a spate of Fulani attacks, but that he continues to fear for his life. 

"My life is now at risk," he said.

"The Fulani are now after my life; all my family members have now been killed by the Fulani militants ... I am left alone." 

An Irigwe youth leader told ICC that the government was failing to protect Christians. 

"There is a plan for jihad in Nigeria, but the Nigerian government continues to remain silent," the youth leader said. 

"We are pleading with Christians in the diaspora to come to our assistance."

An ICC partner has visited the village following the attack and described the situation as "very bad". 

ICC president Jeff King said it would continue to monitor the situation. 

"Right now, our Christian brothers and sisters in Nigeria are in need of our prayers," he said.