Africa (Commonwealth Union) _ At least 51 Christians were brutally killed in Plateau State, Nigeria, following a Palm Sunday assault by suspected Islamist Fulani militants, deepening fears of religious persecution in the country’s Middle Belt. The deadly attack targeted two predominantly Christian villages, with the worst-hit being Zikke in Bassa County.
Eyewitnesses described a nightmarish scene as armed men stormed homes, set buildings on fire, and slaughtered entire families, including children and the elderly. Charred remains of houses and hurriedly dug mass graves now stand as grim reminders of the violence. Survivors are mourning amid the ruins, with many still in shock over the scale and cruelty of the assault.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu publicly condemned the massacre and called for a thorough investigation. However, local leaders and residents have criticized the government’s response as slow and inadequate. Accusations of official negligence and even tacit complicity have resurfaced, with community leaders expressing long-standing frustration over repeated attacks on Christian farming communities in the region.
“The government’s failure to act swiftly only emboldens these killers,” said Reverend Jonah Gyang, a local pastor who lost several family members in the attack. “And the world’s silence is even more painful.”
Indeed, despite the scale and apparent religious motivation behind the killings, international reactions have been minimal. Unlike other global incidents of violence that spark widespread outrage, demonstrations, or political statements in Western nations, the tragedy in Zikke has barely registered in global media or diplomatic circles.
Rights organizations have long warned of escalating violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where clashes between nomadic Fulani groups and settled Christian farmers have taken a deadly turn. While these conflicts are often framed around land-use disputes, many observers argue that religious and ethnic factors are at the heart of the violence.
Groups advocating for religious freedom and human rights have called the massacre part of a broader and underreported campaign of violence targeting Christian communities in Nigeria.
“This isn’t just a local conflict,” said a representative from a regional NGO. “It’s a pattern of attacks that needs urgent global attention and accountability.”
As mass burials continue and survivors grapple with profound loss, local communities are calling for justice, protection, and international awareness before more lives are lost.
