13 Dead In Latest Nigerian Religious Crisis

By: Victor Ulasi, Nigeria

Thirteen people have been reported killed in the latest religious crisis in Riyom local government area of Plateau state, Nigeria. The attack reportedly was the work of Muslim kinsmen who visited the villages in the early morning hours on Wednesday.

According to reports, more than 50 Fulani Muslims dressed in Joint Military Task Force uniforms, armed with sophisticated weapons invaded the village in the early hours of Wednesday while the villagers were still in bed and raided it.

In a press conference, the Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Gregory Yenlong, said 13 people were killed while six others were critically injured and currently receiving treatment at Christian Hospital. He further said, “There was an attack on Biye village in Riyom local government area of Plateau State in the early hours of today by Fulani militia in which 13 people have been killed, mostly women, children and the aged”.

The Chairman of Riyom Local Government Area, Mr. Simon Mwadkon, blamed the attack on security operatives, saying they could have averted the attack if they had been more vigilant.

He also said the villagers heard the attackers speaking in Fulani and Hausa languages and called the security agencies, but added that the security agencies did not reach the village until around 2:30 am, even though they were informed of the attack around 1am. He wondered why since, according to him, the distance between the soldiers’ road block and the attacked village was not up to one mile.

The people of the state said they could no longer continue to live in fear in their own land and expressed that the only option left for them is to move back to their hometowns.

Edited by S. Robinson

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