A night raid in Bokkos County, Nigeria, has claimed the lives of 11 Christians in the small farming community.
The attack is believed to be the handiwork of Fulani militants. Among those killed were a pregnant woman and her husband and a 10-year-old girl.
The attack, which lasted for around 45 minutes, targeted a group of villagers in the village of Ruwi who had gathered to pay their respects to an 87-year-old community elder.
According to International Christian Concern, locals have complained that the authorities are not doing enough to protect them. The Nigerian army and other security personnel were stationed a short distance from where the attack took place.
Some Christian leaders in Nigeria have told of instances where their communities were notified in advance that an attack was coming and that, despite passing this on to the security services, no protection forces materialised, resulting in more deaths.
Amnesty International Nigeria called on the authorities to do more to protect ordinary citizens, “The inaction of authorities has left people exposed to violence, resulting in devastating losses.”
Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, Plateau State Governor, condemned the attack in a statement, adding that more needed to be done to improve security in the state, “This brutal assault is not just an attack on individuals on our shared humanity. We will work tirelessly to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”
Last week a Nigerian bishop warned the British House of Lords that the situation in Nigeria continues to deteriorate. Bishop Wilfred Anagbe from the Makurdi region said that anti-Christian massacres at Christmas are becoming “customary” in parts of the country.
He also called on the British government to link diplomatic and economic relations with Nigeria to the latter’s ability to help internally displaced people return to their homes and to give victims justice and compensation for the crimes committed against them by militants.
