Five Villages Hold Vigils for One-Year Anniversary of Major Attack

12/12/2018 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – On December 4, 2018, five villages in southern Adamawa, Nigeria, commemorated the one-year anniversary since attacks by Fulani militants left more than 95 people dead. In what seemed to be a coordinated attack, Fulani militants armed with military grade weapons, including AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades, invaded the villages of Dong, Lawaru, Shafaron, Kodomti Pullum, Nzeruwe, and Zabum. During this onslaught, the invaders destroyed and burned down homes, churches, and food storage facilities, killing at least 95 people, most of whom were men, including the chief of Lawaru, Ferdinand Voro.

The memorial services, which featured prayers, songs, and words of encouragement, were held in each of the villages and were attended by survivors of the attacks. These survivors consisted mainly of widows and children of the men killed in these communities. In Shafaron, the vigil had to be held in an open field because their church, which was destroyed in the attack, has yet to be rebuilt.

Unfortunately, the Nigerian military is also responsible for some of this death and destruction. In what can only be described as ineptitude or vileness, the Nigerian air force decided to use jets and bombs to try and stop the fighting. When the dust settled, they only increased the total damage and number of deaths among the Christian farmers.