Nigeria: At least 40 Christians killed in Palm Sunday attack reportedly carried out by armed assailants

Image: Jihad Watch

At least 40 individuals were killed in a violent attack on a Christian farming community in north-central Nigeria late Sunday night, according to President Bola Tinubu. The assailants, identified as Muslim gunmen, launched the attack on Palm Sunday in the Zike community, located in Bassa, Plateau State.

Open Doors reports that this latest assault raises the death toll to approximately 113 people, following a series of attacks in Plateau State since late March. The organization states that Muslim Fulani militants have targeted at least eight communities, destroying over 300 homes and displacing 3,000 residents.

In recent weeks, militants have killed three Christians working on their farms, 11 Christians at a funeral – including a pregnant woman and a 10-year-old girl – and at least five Christian women gathered for fellowship.

In the Palm Sunday attack, Zike resident Andy Yakubu shared that homes were looted and set on fire, with the death toll possibly surpassing 50. An Open Doors contact confirmed that 43 people were killed, with several homes burned, some with people trapped inside.

President Tinubu condemned the violence and announced an investigation into the incident. "I have instructed security agencies to thoroughly investigate this crisis and identify those responsible for orchestrating these violent acts," he said, extending his condolences to the victims' families.

While authorities have made similar promises in the past, such attacks have become increasingly frequent in this region, where tensions between mainly Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers over land and water resources have been escalating.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)