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Terrorists killed a total of 11 Christians and a policeman in Benue State, Nigeria, in a series of attacks between Aug. 1 and Aug. 5, reportedly the latest episode in a systematic effort to eradicate Christianity in the area.
TruthNigeria reported that the terrorists, who belong to the predominantly Muslim Fulani ethnic group, killed two Christians Friday, one Saturday, one Sunday, three Monday, and four Tuesday. The police inspector was also killed Tuesday.
The outlet called it a “fresh round of the ceaseless ethno-religious cleansing of Benue Christian inhabitants,” following more murders that occurred last week, in late July, and in May. The most recent deaths occurred in Agatu and Guma counties.
According to TruthNigeria, prior to the most recent murders, Fulani herdsmen had claimed residents of those counties rustled 340 of their cattle. However, Joseph Har, special adviser to the Benue State governor on security and internal affairs, said that he was unaware of any cattle rustling. Har also said that some Fulani cattle had been confiscated and then returned to their owners after the herdsmen allowed them to trespass on other farms, which caused heavy damages.
Residents of Agatu and Guma Counties, however, called the cattle rustling claims an excuse for Fulani terrorists to carry out religious and ethnic cleansing in the areas.
“This is not the first time Fulani terrorists have used the cattle rustling allegation as a pretext to eliminate our people. It is their usual way of giving our people a bad name and then slash or shoot them to death,” Desmond Jeremiah, a resident of Agatu County, told TruthNigeria. “Their main mission is Ethno-religious Cleansing and Land Grabbing. The so-called cattle rustling happened in Kogi State. Why must they come and kill our people in Benue State.”
Mike Magaji, national president of an organization affiliated with the youth of the Idoma ethnic group, also told TruthNigeria that the cattle rustling charges were false.
“Anytime they want to attack any of our communities, they will accuse the people of the community of stealing their cows without any evidence,” he said. “They speak Hausa or Fulfude and chant ‘Allahu Akbar’ while killing our people. They displace our people from their ancestral homes and take over our land through relentless attacks, intimidation, kidnappings and mass killings. What is this if not Ethno-Religious Cleansing and Land Grabbing?”
TruthNigeria reported that authorities said they investigated the murders and confirmed that police had been sent to the communities where the killings occurred, but no arrests were reported. According to the outlet, mainstream Nigerian media covered the incidents but reported that those who were killed had been suspected of stealing the Fulani herdsmen’s cattle.
