05/16/2020 Nigeria (International Christian Concern) – A recent statement made by the president of Nigeria and his press secretary has claimed that the attacks that took place this week in Kaduna State were revenge attacks. Though the president says that he condemns the attacks and that those who conducted them should not have, he also places the blame for the attacks on the victims by saying that they had attacked first. This is not true. There have been claims or reports of attacks coming from these communities against any Fulani groups.

Without some sort of evidence, the president’s claims of reprisal are not only false and immoral, but also dangerous. Spreading rumors of continued and repeated attacks between communities will only inflame and strengthen tensions. It may even lead to actual reprisal attacks or further attacks by the perpetrators.

So far no perpetrators of these attacks have been identified or captured. It is likely that no one will be caught or held accountable for the deaths of 30 people in the Kajuru area last week. With the president’s statement, people are going to be less likely to trust the government and that it is trying to protect them. These attacks have continued for far too long, and the Nigerian government has lied and distorted the narrative around them far too much. Please pray for the families of those who were killed and that they would remain safe.

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