Nigeria’s Governor Caleb Mutswan urged local “traditional rulers” to organize vigilante militias to protect Christians after a recent series of attacks, killing dozens of people and evacuating thousands, presumably committed by Fulani jihadists.
Plateau is located in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, where the majority Christian South meets the majority Muslim North. For the majority of the past decade, Roving Frani gangs have systematically targeted indigenous Christians in the area, burning villages, stealing farmlands and grazing cattle. Many of the Fulani, condemned by the Christian leaders in the region, systematically conquering the territory with minimal government response, rather than from the central belt region.
Jihadists usually increase the frequency and intensity of attacks on Christian holidays, especially Christians around Christmas and Easter. Christian Persecution Aid Group is Opening the Door Documentation At least eight Franidihadists’ attacks on the Christian community in Plateau since the end of March “have displaced more than 3,000 people.” Among those attacks was a massacre. I’ll kill you Separate attacks on April 7th, nine Christians killed more than 60 people on April 2nd, including three Spread it Pass through seven villages and more recent villages I’ll kill you On April 13th, at least 51 people were found in Palm Sunday, Jikuke and Kimakupa villages.
Christians are now observing Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter’s most sacred Christian holiday. Fulani jihadists destroyed multiple villages last week by destroying local communities.
Governor Mutfwang has published a message to constituents announcing dramatic measures in an attempt to curb the violence of the genocide.
“Late on Sunday, April 13th, the peace in Zikwe village of Bassa LGA was shattered by a brutal attack claiming the lives of innocent men, women and children,” Mutfwang said. “This happens while still grieving the tragic loss of more than 50 lives in Boccos.”
“These attacks are calculated, persistent and painful, but the plateau remains unbroken,” he insisted.
While thanking President Bora Tinubu for his support, Mutwan urged Nigerian Christians to put their safety into their own hands.
“I call on traditional rulers and youth leaders to work with security forces to revive local vigilante patrols. We must unite to protect the land led by justice and law,” he urged.
Mutfwang also announced new policies, such as banning herdsmen from grazing animals at night, and announced that all transport of cattle and motorcycle use would be terminated after 7pm.
Mutfwang visit Bassa, part of his state, most affected by the massacre, apologizes to the locals.
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“I’ve been crying since yesterday (Monday) because all the arrangements were in place and I trusted in God that this would never happen again,” he said Tuesday. “We invested in security. But sometimes they fail, like all human arrangements. I want to admit that we failed on Sunday night on Monday morning. Please forgive me.”
Both Nigerian Presidents Mutfwang and Tinubu are facing pressure to act to contain Fulanijihad. Northern Group Coalition, Advocacy Group, I’m grieving In Thursday’s message, Boko Haram, headquartered in the country’s northeast Borno state, also increased the attacks, with the message that Fulani jihadists were not alone in the rise in attacks on Christians.
“The recent massacres in Plateau, where more than 100 lives have been cruelly shortened, communities have been destroyed and families have been displaced, representing a grotesque failure in governance. These killings are not isolated,” the group noted. “The government’s lukewarm response encouraged the murderers, and citizens questioned their commitment to safety.”
In addition to lamenting people who lost the Fulani attack this week, Nigeria celebrated the 11th anniversary of the accrual of nearly 300 female students from Chibok, Borno in 2014.
Tinubu, a Muslim but married to Christians, published the Holy Week Message on Friday, vowing to help Christians protect themselves from the onslaught of the massacre and pray for a blessed Easter to Christians.
“The recent tragic events and the loss of life in some parts of our country have deeply saddened me. I understand the pain and fears these incidents have caused,” Tinubu said. I said. “Let me assure you that my administration’s resolve to restore peace and security remains unshakable. The power of evil will never win more than our nation.”
“I have given clear instructions to the military and all related security agencies to end clear instructions, uncertainly and without delay,” he continued. “With unwavering courage and commitment in uniforms of brave men and women, we are steadily making progress in turning the tide and regaining peace and stability.”
Elsewhere in his message, Tinubu celebrated Pope Francis’s recent recovery from respiratory illness, describing Jesus as an inspiration for all Nigerians.
“Just as Christ has won over death, our nation will also win over all the challenges we face. The present moment may be cloudy, but it will mark a glorious day,” he concluded.
Recently Tinubu welcome Delegation from the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Nigeria for a meeting in Abuja to deal with violence.
“This anxiety, everyone is affected by it, both Christians and Muslims. I have no religious bias. I am not a bias,” Tinubu argued. “My wife is a pastor of the reded Christian Church. But we must think about our country. This country must stand beyond religious prejudices. And I am ready to listen and listen to you.”
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Several Christian persecution humanitarian groups have identified Nigeria as one of the most dangerous places on the planet for practicing Christianity. Open Door, defending persecuted Christians, revealed in January that its estimates meant that more than 90% of Christians killed for their faith in 2024 were killed in sub-Saharan Africa, with most of them killed in Nigeria.
“Nigeria… there’s the largest church hall in the world, but it’s in the south,” the group observed. “In the north (and increasingly central) regions, Christians are minority, and radical Islamic groups like Boko Haram and Fulani militants can cause havoc.”
