5/9/2024 Nigeria (International Christian Concern) — Christian communities already weary of Islamic Fulani militant attacks are increasingly concerned that the violence could lead to food scarcity in Nigeria’s agriculturally rich Northcentral region.
Militant Fulani have attacked Christian farmers in the region for more than 20 years. Without government assistance to help them recover from the attacks, these communities have seen a decline in agricultural production. The situation is particularly concerning as the region is a vital agricultural hub for the country and could lead to widespread hunger.
A local told an International Christian Concern (ICC) staff member that Fulani gunmen recently attacked two Christian farmers on their farm in Maiyanga Village, Northwest of Plateau state, killing one of them. The other farmer escaped injured.
“If the attacks continue, we will not farm, and many will die of hunger,” the local said.
The farmer who died is the uncle of a child named Ruth, who was spared during a larger Fulani militant attack against the Maiyanga community on August 2, 2021. Seventy people were killed in a series of brutal attacks that destroyed nine villages in Irigwe chiefdom, Plateau state.
Philip Sorongi, a former national leader of the Irigwe Youths, condemned the ongoing silent slaughter of Christians for land occupancy and called on officials to take swift action to end the attacks against the Irigwe Christian community. He added that the attacks are devastating the local agricultural economy.
“The community relies heavily on farming as their primary source of livelihood, with over 80% of the population engaged in agriculture,” Sorongi told an ICC staff member after the attack. “The [Fulani Militia] attacks have been disrupting the planting season and causing losses ranging from grazing on farmlands to isolated killings. These attacks have been detrimental to the economy of the Irigwe people and have been intimidating, particularly to the Christian population, who make up 99.9% of the community.”
Sorongi urged the government and the international community to assist the Irigwe community in combatting these attacks and to help ensure that Irigwe Christians can continue to farm without fear of violence.
“It is crucial to find a lasting solution to this issue to prevent further damage and loss of life,” Sorongi said.
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