By Sam Eyoboka with Agency reports
70 Christians have been  reportedly murdered  in Plateau State, including one pastor. The body count was said to have piled up after at least a half dozen attacks allegedly perpetrated by cattle herders. Herders  frequently terrorize Christian farmers in Plateau, Bauchi, Kaduna, Taraba, Benue, among others.
The herdsmen regularly raid Christian villages opening up a hail of gunfire, burning homes and churches, and shooting their victims when they run outside to escape the fires.
“The jihadists, in their quest to eliminate Christians in Plateau State and their thirst for blood, have succeeded in killing Christians and burning their houses,” said Gyang, a local man whose full name is withheld to protect his safety.
The most deadly attack occurred on May 2 when herdsmen reportedly set fire to the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) located in Foron Town, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA), killing 27 Christians. The victims included Rev. Luka Gwom and a congregant named Pauline who was married just two weeks prior in the same church building.
The recent raids have all occurred in two areas of Plateau State: Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas. These frightening experiences have become nearly a weekly terror for Christians in the region. From April 25 to May 11, Gyang reported at least six attacks on more than eightvillages, some of them targeted more than once during that time span.
“We in Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs have been under siege and invasion. Lives have been lost almost every day, and [there is] no serious action from any quarter by the government. But we are still faithful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Gyang said as he recounted an attack that killed two members of the Rim Town community as they were returning from the burial of fellow Christians who were slaughtered in a Fulani raid that happened just days before.
Sadly, this recent string of assaults is nothing new for brothers and sisters in Christ in the Middle Belt region. In mid-March, Muslim Fulani cattle herders massacred 82 Christians in a village in Benue State, according to Nigerian news reports. However, the secular media and Nigerian authorities have been slow to acknowledge these events as Christian persecution.
“It is the longstanding issue over grazing rights and cattle rustling between Egba and Fulani people,” police spokesman Ezeala Austin said after the March attack.
Despite the historic tensions Austin cites, witnesses to the assaults often recount that the herdsmen chanted “Allahu Akhbar” during the attack, the Arabic saying, “God is Great,” which has become associated with jihadist Muslim terrorism. The herdsmen also continually and specifically target Christian villages.
One Plateau State government official vaguely referenced recent incidents of cattle rustling by predominantly-Christian tribes in Wase LGA in connection to the attacks of the past month, but reports suggest no linkage between the events. Wase LGA is located 160 miles away from Barkin Ladi and Riyom.
International Christian Concern’s Regional Manager of Africa, Mr. Troy Augustine, said: “The world should wake up to the forgotten persecution happening all over Nigeria’s Middle-Belt region. Extremist Muslim Fulani herders are regularly and consciously attacking Christian villages and slaughtering our brothers and sisters in Christ. I don’t know what else needs to be explained to acknowledge that these people are persecuted because of their faith”.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/pastor-69-christians-murdered-in-plateau/

Now instead of illiterate Buhari to plan and find a solution to this mindless wicked act, all we keep hearing is how he will recapture Rivers & Akwa Ibom for his selfish greed.

RIP. they are boko haram not cattle herds men

As usual Gowon will pretend he never saw this in the newspaper while TY Danjuma will tell you that only 6 instead of 69 Christians were killed and that the killing was carried out by terrorist from neighbouring countries

Now it's put more weight on the fact that - ''you are not a tested christian until you stayed in the north'' - adeboye 2015

The earth would have been a peaceful place without islam.

As usual, I can only say welcome to one indivisible Nigeria where the head of a cow is more valuable than a human being. What a very sophisticated country and I know the ostriches in our midst will soon invade this thread to do the bidding of their masters. Just a matter of time brothers

gratiaeo:
Now instead of illiterate Buhari to plan and find a solution to this mindless wicked act, all we keep hearing is how he will recapture Rivers & Akwa Ibom for his selfish greed.

Thrash. What is happening in plateau is not a muslim-christian problem. It is a tribal war. The local beroms rustle cattles belonging to the fulanis while the fulanis retaliate by attacking them. It is not right but don't make it look like a religious thing. Even the fulanis too do face attacks.

Northerns can like to kill ehhh!

After this dey record millions of voters and u wonder if news abt killing is real

These cattle rearers are going about killing people like it's no man's business. The incumbent and incoming administrations have been quiet on this unwanton deaths like they are non existing. Its a shame...

RIP to the victims

It is no longer news when christians in the middle-belt region are massacred,the Hausa-Fulani Jihadist hiding under the name Fulani cattlemen,are on a mission of conquest,what Othman Dan fodio could not accomplish,they are trying so hard to do,as an islamic duty.
Why this evil goes on the Nigerian state pretends as if all is well,the umbrella northern bodies,turn a blind eye,the Arewa consultative forum,Northern professionals,council of Ulamas,Muric,Northern elders forum etc all keep mute but the very day a northern muslim is killed,all hell is let loose.
Thats why some of us felt bittered when the middlebelt voted APC and a fulani man for that matter,the same people who only talk of one monolithic north during elections and after which the killing spree continues.My heart bleeds for the good people of middlebelt....time to take your destiny into your hands.

gratiaeo:
Now instead of illiterate Buhari to plan and find a solution to this mindless wicked act, all we keep hearing is how he will recapture Rivers & Akwa Ibom for his selfish greed.

Can't see you finding the next four years easy, with this deep seated anti- Buhari hate you have festering inside of you...

You saTANists always manage to insert GMB's name into everything, no matter how silly and sad it makes you look!!!

What is your Hero doing or has done about this issue throughout his failed regime?? Nevermind, just remembered his balls have been inside mama piss' handbag since...

There is an unreported war going on in the middle belt area of Nigeria.

san316:


Thrash. What is happening in plateau is not a muslim-christian problem. It is a tribal war. The local beroms rustle cattles belonging to the fulanis while the fulanis retaliate by attacking them. It is not right but don't make it look like a religious thing. Even the fulanis too do face attacks.

My question is, is 2 person killed in Rivers more important than hundreds killing everyday in the north?

While this genocide goes on,prominent middlebelterns like TY Danjuma,Gowon,Gen.Jerrymiah Usieni,Gen.John Shagaya,Gen.Dogon Yaro,Paul Onongu and others are busy gallivanting and seeking political positions and contracts,while their backyards are on fire.Cant these people call a meeting of greater middlebelt and come up with a stand on this issue,they all move around with pride of being powerful while people of your home land are massacred in the worst form of brutality known to mankind,what a big shame.
If it were in they days of Joseph Tarka,Paul Gindiri,Maigari, of blessed memory etc,they certainly will speak up and mobilize their people against this evil. Maj.Orkar will be turning in his grave and shedding tears of dissappointment.

In a Tajudeen or Lekan voice *thats good for them because they are the host and should manage their visitors very well.


P.S. Gowon should be ashamed of himself for keeping quiet while Hausa fulani lynch his people in broad daylight

The hypocrites will only tell you Igbos want to dominate the eastern minorities but will not tell you Hausa-Fulani want to eliminate northern minorities

abeg how dis fulani herdsmen look like sef?

gratiaeo:

My question is, is 2 person killed in Rivers more important than hundreds killing everyday in the north?

We are talking about finding a solution to this menace. Even in my state, kogi, we have issues of fulani attacks. The fact is that, only when we recognise the real problem, we cant get anywhere. Making it seem religious would expand the scope of the crisis and cause more enmity among Nigerians. Jos is my second home and I know what's up there.

There's an ongoing pogrom in the Middle Belt. But many are still living in denial about this.

Good morning Yakubu Gowon the grandfather of one Nigeria,

biafransoul:
As usual, I can only say welcome to one indivisible Nigeria where the head of a cow is more valuable than a human being. What a very sophisticated country and I know the ostriches in our midst will soon invade this thread to do the bidding of their masters. Just a matter of time brothers

Am waiting to know what the Zulus will say

The earlier the middle belt starts defending themselves the better for them. Islam is a terrible religion that sees nothing wrong in killing others that are non muslims. It took spain 500 yrs to get rid of the muslims living in spain. The people of Plateau state should doing the start driving out the muslims that reside there by hook or by crook. Islam is a bad religion. Nothing good can come out of Islam.

They is a real civil war in the middle belt tears in my eyes as many had been killed but if not militia in kogi, taraba, benue Christians could had been history the worst the army cannot do anything

........Meanwhile, Gowon is busy obsessing with Ikemba and how he (Gowon) managed to keep Nigeria as 'one peaceful united and indivisible happy nation'!

Talk about getting ones priorities way off track!