Monday, November 15, 2010

Muslim attackers kill six Christians in Nigeria

RELEASEINTERNATIONAL

The Fulani Muslims in Nigeria have been blamed for the series of attacks on the Christian communities in Jos, Plateau State. The villagers are all ethnic Irigwe Christians.

Quoting Stefanos Foundation, it noted that gunmen raided Ranwianku at about 11pm on October 25, shooting at villagers and attacking them with machetes, despite the presence of an army barracks little more than a mile away. Homes were set alight and cattle killed.

It said that a man, identified as Umaru Hole, lost his wife and three children in the attack. The other victims were an elderly woman and a young boy who was brutally attacked with a machete
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“Stefanos Foundation will be providing emergency relief and trauma counseling for survivors of the raid with financial support from Release. Ranwianku is 18 miles from the state capital, Jos,” it stated.

It said that most eyewitnesses interviewed said that the gunmen were speaking the Fulani language. Villagers said that all ethnic Fulani people had left the village over the past decade, since tensions had flared between Muslims and Christians in Plateau, although some continued to graze their cattle near Ranwianku.

It stated: “The funeral for the six victims of the attack was attended by several clergy, a senior military commander and community leaders, many of whom urged villagers not to seek revenge. The military chief assured villagers of his commitment to 'bring lasting peace to the state'.”

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