Worthy Christian News > Christian Persecution > Christian Persecution - Africa > Nigeria > Nigeria: Mass grave for Christian women and children, “Let us not put our hope on weapons to defend ourselves, our weapon is in Christ”

Nigeria: Mass grave for Christian women and children, “Let us not put our hope on weapons to defend ourselves, our weapon is in Christ”

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Having buried women and children in a mass grave following yet another Fulani Islamist attack on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Plateau state last month, local church leaders are encouraging their communities to stand in faith and are praying for God’s intervention in the ongoing genocidal slaughter of believers, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. At least 50,250 Christians in Nigeria have been murdered by Islamic jihadists including Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa since 2009.

Fulani terrorists have murdered 300 Christians in Mangu county, Plateau state since mid-May alone, MSN reports. Rev. Shadrack Ayuba of the Assembly of God Nigeria church in Ntin Kombun village and Rev. Mangmwos Tangshak Daniel of the Nigeria Baptist Convention in Kantoma village, were among those slaughtered in an attack on June 4.

In addition to committing the murders, Fulani jihadists displaced 30,000 residents, destroyed 28 church buildings and 2,000 houses, and looted 150 trailer loads of grains in the area in the Mangu Local Government Area, Rev. Timothy Daluk, chairman of the Mangu Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria told MSN. The Rev. Emmanuel Haruna, chairman of the Mangu District Church Council of the Evangelical Church Winning All, asked MSN: “Kindly pray with us for God’s intervention.”

The Rev. Jacob Dashop, chairman of the Provincial Church Council, Gindiri, of the COCIN, told MSN that Fulani jihadists killed 200 Christians in Mangu LGA villages between May 15 and May 17. “Christians killed in Fungzai-Mangu village by Fulani terrorists are mostly women and children; they were buried in a mass grave on Tuesday, 16 May,” Pastor Dashop said.

Visiting displaced Christians in camps in Mangu town following the recent attacks, Rev. Amos Mohzo, president of the COCIN said: “This is our encouragement to you – don’t be afraid. You that are alive, this is not the time to fear; follow the instructions of both community and spiritual leaders and be courageous. The Lord will be with you. Let us not put our hope on how much weapons we can get to defend ourselves, because our weapon is in Christ.”