06/11/2022 (International Christian Concern) Nigeria- On Sunday, June 5, militants killed 32 people in four villages located in the Kajuru part of Nigeria’s northwest state of Kaduna. The attack came on the same day as the St. Francis Catholic Church massacre in Nigeria’s southwest state of Ondo, which killed over 30 people.

The Nigerian National Security Council announced Thursday that the attack was carried out by members of the militant group Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP). This announcement confirmed reports that the militants are seeking to expand their influence from the northeast region of Nigeria to more parts of the country.

The Adara Development Association reported that 32 bodies had been recovered from the attack and that 28 villagers had been buried.

Usman Danladi, a resident, described the attack, reporting that the militants rode in on over 100 motorcycles. He stated that many villagers “took to their hills and ran into the bush [but the attackers] followed them with motorcycles and killed them.” Danladi added, “Twenty-eight people have been buried as of yesterday, and we cannot say if they are all because many of the dead bodies are being picked from the bush.” He also stated that the attackers kidnapped more than 20 people and demanded a ransom for their release.

Danladi confirmed that the attackers were “armed Fulani militia. This is the language they were speaking…They are not new to our environment because this is not the first time that they have been attacked.”

Awemi Dio Maisamari, the Adara association national president, described one of the village attacks, saying that the villagers were able to fend off the attackers before a helicopter came and “starting gunning the youths from the air.”

The attacks have not yet been confirmed by the police or Kaduna state officials.