The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has again raised the alarm over what it called the “ceaseless and untamed massacre of Christians in Nigeria”, claiming that a number of defenseless Christians hacked to death by Nigeria’s Islamic Jihadists and their collaborators in the security forces between January 1 to July 18, 2021 has risen to 3,462 – 68 deaths less than the total deaths of Nigerian Christians in 2020 which the Open Doors’ World Watch List of Persecuted Christians put at 3,530

It added that the figure represents daily average Christian deaths of 17 and second highest since 2014 when over 5,000 Christian deaths were recorded in the hands of Boko Haram and Jihadist Fulani herdsmen.

Intersociety disclosed this in its latest report on insurgency in Nigeria.

While recalling its January to April report, it observed that no fewer than 1,470 Christians were hacked to death and in the past 80 days or May 1 to July 18, 2021, not less than 1,992 Christian lives have been lost.

It also noted that no fewer than 780 additional Christians were abducted in 80 days or May 1 to July 18 whereas between January 1 and April 30, 2020 were abducted, putting the total number of the abducted Christians since January to 3,000, out of which at least three out of every abducted thirty Christians were most likely to have died in captivity; thereby indicating additional secret death in jihadists’ captivity of 300 Christians.

Additional deaths of 150 are also added to represent ‘dark figures’ or deaths that occurred but not reported or recorded, it claimed.

The report also revealed that the number of Churches threatened or attacked since January 2021 to be around 300 with at least ten priests or pastors abducted or killed by the jihadists.

Intersociety, worried by the rate of religious persecution arrived at its report through the use of direct contacts with victims, eyewitnesses, media tracking, review of credible local and international reports, interviews, noted that herdsmen killings most widespread, accounted for 1,909 deaths: The Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen are responsible for majority of the killings with at least 1,909 Christian deaths in 200 days, followed by Boko Haram, ISWAP and Muslim Fulani Bandits who jointly killed 1,063 Christians, while Nigerian Army, joined by the Nigeria Police Force and other branches of the Armed Forces accounted for 490 Christian deaths.

The 3,462 Christian deaths include additional 300 deaths representing Christian deaths arising from deaths in the captivity of the jihadists, on average of three deaths out of every 30 Christians abducted and disappeared and another additional deaths of 150 technically representing ‘dark figures of crime’.

It alleged that Muslim Fulani bandits, originally formed in Zamfara State in 2011, are jointly responsible for terrors going on in Christian parts of Southern Kaduna, Niger, FCT, Nasarawa and Kogi States. They are also responsible for attacks on indigenous Hausa Muslims in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi.

Intersociety gave a state by state breakdown of the 3,642 Christian deaths as follows: “Benue State recorded the highest number of Christian deaths in the past 200 days with 450 and had recorded 200 deaths in Jan to April and 250 from May to 18th July; Kaduna State came second with 410 Christian deaths and had recorded 300 deaths in Jan to April and 110 from May to 18th July; Taraba State came third with 240 deaths; Plateau 170 deaths and had recorded 90 deaths in Jan to April and 80 from May to 18th July, Igbo States of Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra and Abia 200 deaths and had recorded 80 deaths in Jan to April and 120 from May to 18th July. Others are Christian part of Niger State (i.e. Shiroro, Munya and Rafi, etc) 200 Christian deaths (out of over 400 deaths) and had recorded 70 deaths in Jan to April and 130 from May to 18th July; Adamawa 80 Christian deaths, Ogun/Ondo/Oyo/Ekiti 162 Christian deaths; Kebbi 100 Christian deaths (out of 200 deaths); Borno 400 Christian deaths (out of over 800 total deaths excluding battle-field combat deaths); Nasarawa 50 Christian deaths, Igbo part of Delta 30 Christian deaths, Edo State 30 Christian deaths, non Igbo part of Delta 20 Christian deaths, Gombe/Bauchi 40 Christian deaths, Christian part of Geidam in Yobe State 25 Christian deaths, Kogi State 14 Christian deaths, Katsina ten Christian deaths including a Reverend Father; and Nigerian Army, Police, Navy, Air Force and DSS 490 Christian deaths (Imo 150, Abia 80 plus, Benue 70, Akwa Ibom 40, Ebonyi, Anambra, Enugu and Cross River 150 others). The total of 3, 462 Christian deaths are established when 300 additional captivity fatalities and another 150 ‘dark figures of crime’ are added.

The report revealed further: “3,000 Christians Abducted In 200 Days: The number of abducted Christians in Nigeria increased from 2,200 between 1st January and 30th April 2021 to 3000 in 200 days of 2021 or January 1 to July 18, 2021 and it involved 1,350 abducted by Jihadist Fulani herdsmen and bandits in Kaduna State, 620 abducted and disappeared by Muslim dominated and controlled soldiers of the Nigerian Army in Eastern Nigeria, 100 (out of over 150 abductees) abducted by BH, ISWAP and Ansaru in Borno and 120 abducted by the same Jihadist groups in Adamawa and Taraba; 420 abducted by Fulani bandits and BH/ISWAP in Christian areas of Niger State, 100 abducted by Fulani bandits and Boko Haram in Christian areas of Kebbi, 68 abducted by Jihadist Fulani herdsmen in Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo and Ogun, 40 abducted by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in Nasarawa, 50 abducted in Abuja and Kogi and not less than 30 abducted by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in Enugu, Ebonyi and Abia and 100 others abducted on Lagos, Abuja and other Northern and non Northern routes by Fulani Herdsmen and Muslim Fulani Bandits; totaling 3000 abductions in the past 200 days or 1st January to 18th July 2021.

“240 Christians Hacked To Death In Taraba In 200 Days: Attacks on Christians in Taraba State since January 2021 have intensified with ferocity and are barely reported in the media.

“In the past 200 days or 1st January to 18th July 2021, not less than 240 Christians have been hacked to death by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and hundreds of others have been terminally injured. The number of churches burnt or razed across the State particularly in Bali District has risen to no fewer than 70, with Bali District being the worst hit. In recent months’ attacks, Bali recorded 66 Christian deaths with scores of churches burnt; Gassol 56 Christian deaths and 15 churches burnt; Takum 20 Christian deaths and seven churches burnt, Wukari five Christian deaths, Dunga five Christian deaths, Gashaka four Christian deaths and one church burnt and Karimo-Lamido twelve Christian deaths. Sixteen Christians were also killed in Bali on 16th May 2021 and five were killed in Takum on 23rd May 2021. On 27th May 2021, twelve were killed in Gassol and two in Bali.

The recent attacks by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen have also been extended to Adamawa State where at least twelve Christians were hacked to death in Milibi and at least one church burnt. In Gombe State, at least six Christians have been killed in Bililri and in Bauchi State; at least two Christians have been hacked to death.

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