Persecuted church ministry Release International has urged Nigeria’s re-elected President, Muhammadu Buhari, to protect Christians in his country from the “twin menaces” of terror group Boko Haram and armed Fulani herdsmen.
In a statement released as Nigeria’s electoral commission officially declared Buhari the winner of last weekend’s election, Paul Robinson, CEO of Release International, said Boko Haram terrorists and Fulani herdsmen have “killed with impunity and that impunity must stop”.
Release is warning of increasing attacks against Christians by Fulani militants as well as ongoing assaults by Boko Haram, a group which Buhari had previously declared defeated. They say that between them the groups have killed tens of thousands and driven millions from their homes.
Release cites the Global Terrorism Index which ranked Nigeria as the third most terrorised country in 2017, accounting for eight per cent of the world’s deaths from terrorism during that year. It found that while Boko Haram remained the deadliest group in Nigeria in 2017 and that Fulani extremists were less active in 2017 than the previous year, “preliminary data for 2018 suggests that there has been a significant increase in violence committed by Fulani extremists”.
Release reports that Christian leaders in Nigeria say the attacks by heavily armed Fulani herdsmen “amount to ethnic and religious cleansing”. “They also accuse the military of standing by and failing to prevent the raids. Some even claim collusion by Islamist elements in the armed forces.”
Robinson added that questions remain about “who is arming the Fulani and why?”
“Whose agenda do they serve by attacking Christians? And why has the government of Nigeria done so little to disarm them?” he asked. “Nigeria’s re-elected president must answer these questions – and take immediate action to stop the violence.”
Ben Kwashi, Anglican Archbishop of Jos and a partner of Release, said the Nigerian Government has been “unable to provide security for the poor”.
“The government must rise to its responsibility to mete out justice and save lives.”
Release International works in more than 30 countries around the world.
