Attacks against Christians in Nigeria continue, particularly at the hands of Fulani herdsmen. On 2 August, according to local media, at least 30 people were killed in north-eastern Nigeria in the Christian-dominated Demsa area of Adamawa State in an attack on the village of Kodomun and others nearby.
“The attackers invaded the community…killed 17 men and set all houses ablaze,” a local source reported. “The neighbouring Christian communities are advancing towards Kodomun to face the Fulani herdsmen because security forces have failed to protect the community. Women and children are fleeing the area and the tension lingers.”
Local media outlet ‘Punch’ reported criticism of Adamawa State police commissioner, Mohammed Ghazzali, after he said no lives had been lost in the attacks. He defended his decision not to deploy security forces to the area: “My men were on the ground. We would not risk our men to be there, just to give security to one side so that the other side would not think we have taken sides… There are two different groups involved in these clashes: the herdsmen and the farmers. And we have to be very careful in handling such type of communal clashes.”
Meanwhile, local media reported another attack on 1 August in the Jema area of Kaduna State. Daily Trust newspaper reports 11 were killed in three villages around Godogo town, 250km south of Kaduna town.