Human rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) has accused the Nigerian Muslim Jihadists, comprising “state actor and non-state actor radical Islamists” had hacked to death no fewer than 4,400 defenseless and unprotected Christians in the past nine months of 2021, a period of 270 days.

In a statement jointly signed by its Principal Officers: Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chinwe Umeche Esq., Obianuju Igboeli Esq., Chidimma Udegbunam, Esq., Intersociety also said that no fewer than 20 Christian clerics have also been killed or abducted by them within the period.

Condemning the raging and untamed anti-Christian genocidal killings and property violence, intersociety explained that the number of Christian worship centres severely attacked by the jihadists since January 2021 has risen to between 350 and 400, adding that not less than 3,500 traveler and sedentary Christians have also been abducted in the nine months of 2021 gone by; with several dozens of them feared killed in captivity.

“In all, average of 490 Christians were killed in each of the past nine months and 16 in each of the past 270 days,” it revealed.

Speaking on the perpetrators, Intersociety observed that the genocidal violent attacks against Christians in Nigeria have been elevated to a state policy-with the key perpetrators drawn from state actors (jihad enablers and perpetrators in the Government of Nigeria and its security forces) and non state actors (state protected armed jihadists).

It also explained that the non-state actor Jihadists are further divided into ‘international’ and ‘local’ wings.

“The local wing is comprised of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Jihadist Fulani Bandits. The Fulani Herdsmen were infiltrated, armed with sophisticated with weapons and radicalized in early 2000s by the country’s leading radical Muslims to perpetrate religio-sectarian mayhem in Plateau State (2001, 2004, 2007 and 2008) and Southern Kaduna and Benue State (from 2010 and upwards).

“In 2011, the group began to be transformed into instruments for jihad and polico-religious violence. By early 2016, the religious terror group fully transformed into Jihadist killer group and was massively deployed and used to unleash religious violence, hiding under the cover of cattle grazing and rural grazing routes and networks; through which they moved and occupied native farmlands and properties of the country’s indigenous Christians.

“The Fulani Bandits, originally called ‘Zamfara Bandits’, on their part, were raised in 2011 in Maradun, Zamfara State to counter the growing radical influence of the indigenous Hausa ‘Yankasai Vigilante’. The Jihadist group was initially infiltrated and hijacked by financiers of Zamafara illegal mining fields and later by leading Northern radical Muslim leaders including political office holders and senior security personnel.

“The international wing of Nigerian Jihadist groups is comprised of Boko Haram and ISWAP and a litany of other internationally affiliated Jihadist group including Ansaru or Movement for the Emancipation of Black Muslims in West Africa. While Fulani herdsmen and Fulani bandits are made up of local terrorists, the Nigerian Government allowed alien Fulanis and acutely illiterate armed Hausa urchins, the Boko Haram, ISWAP, Ansaru and others made up of Kanuris, Bagara/Shuwa Arabs and Maghreb Muslim Jihadists and handful of armed, indoctrinated and radicalized Fulanis and Hausa urchins.

“The jihadist groups above named, joined by “Esprit de Jihad” in the Nigerian security forces and corridors of power are responsible for the anti Christian butcheries and faith property violence in the country,” it explained.

Intersociety alleged that in the past nine months of 2021, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen were responsible for death of not less than 2,540 Christians, having between 1st January and 18th August 2021 killed 2,259 of them.

It also alleged that the Fulani Bandits, accounted for not less 600 Christian deaths and have targeted and killed Christians majorly in Niger, Kebbi, Taraba and Adamawa States as well as in Southern Kaduna where they killed jointly with Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen.

It also noted that the Jihadist Fulani Bandits accounted for most of the indigenous Hausa Muslim deaths in the Muslim dominated areas of Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Northern Kaduna and Zamfara states.

It said ISWAP and other foreign affiliated Jihadists also accounted for more than 680 Christian deaths while Northern Muslim dominated and controlled security forces such as Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police Force accounted for the remaining 680 civilian Christian deaths.

Revealing the statistics, the statement read further: “Kaduna, Benue, Borno, Plateau, Niger, Taraba top the list: Southern Kaduna topped the list of the anti-Christian butcheries perpetrated by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen/Fulani bandits in the past nine months with 608 deaths, followed by Benue State with 550 deaths, Plateau State 400 deaths, Christian parts of Niger State 300 deaths, Taraba State 270 deaths, Igbo States of Ebonyi/Enugu/Anambra/Abia 240 deaths, Ogun/Ondo/Oyo/Ekiti/Osun 180 deaths, Kebbi 120 deaths, Nasarawa 60 deaths, Kogi/Kwara 30 deaths, Igbo part of Delta 35 deaths, Edo State 40 deaths, non-Igbo part of Delta 25 deaths, Gombe/Bauchi 40 deaths, Christian part of Geidam in Yobe State 25 deaths, Kogi/Kawara State 30 deaths and Katsina ten deaths including a Reverend Father. On the other hand, Borno State topped the list of Boko Haram/ISWAP/Ansaru perpetrated Christian deaths with 450 deaths, followed by Adamawa, Taraba and Yobe State with over 240 others. The Jihadists within the country’s security forces’ rank and file and command and control were also found to have accounted for no fewer than 680 civilian Christian deaths, killed on the grounds of their faith and ethnic or nativity identities.

Added to the above was 100 “dark figures,” totaling 3,723 Christian deaths recorded in the hands of non-state actor Muslim Jihadists in nine months. The 680 unarmed civilian Christian deaths in the hands of the Nigerian security forces included Benue State (70 deaths), Akwa Ibom State (40 deaths) and at least 570 Igbo Christian deaths in Imo (over 210 deaths), Abia (90 deaths), Nigeria Police Force CIB Headquarters, Abuja (90 deaths) and Rivers, Ebonyi, Anambra, Enugu and Cross River (180 others); all totaling not less than 4,403 civilian Christian deaths.

“Sampling Statistics: August-Sept 2021: 14th August: 28 Christians killed in Jos-North, Plateau State and eight in Chikun, Kaduna State. 15th August, five killed in Kaura and three in Zango-Kataf, Kaduna State. 15th August, seven Christian children killed in Jos-North. 17th August, six killed in Bassa, Plateau State. 18th August, two killed in Agatu and 15 in Kastina-Ala, Benue State. 19th August, three killed in Bassa, Plateau State. 20th August, seven killed in Ife, Osun State. 21st August, 12 killed in Zango-Kataf, Kaduna State. 23rd August, eight killed in Guma, Benue State. 24th August, 37 Christians massacred in Yeldan Zangam, in Jos-North, Plateau State.

“August 27, three killed in Zango-Kataf and six abducted in Zaria. 28th August, two killed in Kaura, Kaduna State. 29th August, three abducted in a Church in Adavi, Kogi State, 31st August, nine killed in Omala, Kogi State. 3rd Sept, 15 killed in Shiroro, Niger State. 4th Sept, younger brother of Omole Sowore, a Christian, killed and five others abducted in Ovia North, Edo State. 4th September, two killed and two abducted in Bauchi, 6th Sept, four killed in Bassa, Plateau State, 6th September, three Christians: Gya Evi, Sunday, Nah and Friday Yakubu, killed in Miango/Irigwe, Plateau State, 6th September, 18 abducted in Chikun including five Christian farmers abducted same day in Irepodun, Kwara State, 7th September, 22 abducted in Chikun, Kaduna State. 8th September, 18 abducted in Akoko Southeast, Ondo State. 11th September, dozens of Christians abducted in Takum, Taraba State. 12th September, 13 killed in Zango-Kataf, Kaduna State, 13th September, four abducted in Moba, Ekiti State, 13th September, nine abducted in Zaria, Kaduna State, 14th September, one killed and five abducted in Chikun, Kaduna State. 18th Sept, two killed in Guma, Benue State, 19th September, one killed and three abducted in a Church in Kabba/Bunu, Kogi State, 19th September, three abducted in Abeokuta South, Ogun State, 24th September, three abducted in Irepodun, Kwara State and two killed and one abducted in Zaria, Kaduna State. Source: Nigerian Weekly Security Tracker 2021.

“Additionally, on Sunday, 26th September, 38 Christians slaughtered in Madamai and Abun communities in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State. During their massacre on 26th Sept, seven others were seriously injured and several houses burnt or razed. The 38 Christians victims were buried on 30th September 2021.

“In the Yeldan-Zangam (Jos North) massacre of 25th August 2021 in Plateau State, below are their names; among them are 16 killed on the spot and 17 others burnt to death. The dead included 12 children. Local community leader Sunday Bunu identified the 16 Christians gunned down or killed by machete as Na’omi Joshua, a 12-year-old girl; Blessing Joshua, a 15-year-old girl; Rejoice Bala, a 19-year-old woman; Dashe Daniel Ganga, a 90-year-old woman; Mercy Daniel Ganga, a 40-year-old woman; Monica Ishaya, 38; men killed were Daniel Igyem Ganga, 110; Bulus Bagudu 45; Yohanna Bala, 42; Joshua Daniel, 40; Samson Danjuma, 26; Michael Busa, 25; Timothy Bitrus, 25; Naphthali Amos, 24; Philemon Bitrus, 22; and Uwenni Joshua, 20. Burned beyond recognition in the house fires, according to Bunu, was a 4-year-old girl, Timara Ishaya; a 5-year-old girl, Goodness Bala; an 8-year-old girl, Lovina Markus; a 13-year-old girl, Susana Ishaya; Halima Asabulu, 90; Sylvia Ajida, 56; Paulina Asabulu, 50; Deborah Asabulu, 37; Bridget Nthaniel, 20; boys killed were Ephraim Hosea, 9; Titus Bitrus, 13; Titus Ajida, 16; Silvanus Dauda, 17; Barnaba Hosea, 17; and Yunana Bitrus, 17; men killed were Yahanum Solomon, 18, and Babuka Bitrus, 75,” the report concluded.

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