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100-plus Christians killed by Nigerian Muslim extremists
by Joseph Earnest September 26, 2011
Newscast Media LAGOS, Nigeria -- A rash of attacks by armed Muslim extremists on villages in Nigeria's Plateau state in the past month have left more than 100 Christians dead, including the elimination of entire families, sources said.
In a guerilla-type "hit and run" attack on the Christian community of Vwang Kogot, Muslim attackers at about 8 p.m. on Sept. 9 killed 14 Christians, including a pregnant woman. Survivors of the attack claim that the assailants raided the village with the aid of men in military uniforms of the Nigerian Army.
Many of the victims were members of a single family surnamed Danboyi.
"We heard gunshots in our village and realized that the sound was coming from a neighbor’s house, so we quickly ran to find out what was happening but saw a soldier at the entrance of the house with a gun ready to shoot at anybody who comes around, and at the same time preventing those inside from escaping," village resident Markus Mamba said. "We couldn’t get any closer because we were hearing gunshots at random, and we had no weapons with us to use to withstand the might of those soldiers, as there were quite a number of them around the house."
Hiding, Mamba and others could only observe the killing, he said.
"After the soldiers and the Muslims left, we rushed into the place to see the destruction they did," he said. "We discovered that 14 people were killed. Among them was a pregnant woman who died with a child in her womb – bringing the number of deaths to 15 persons. We also observed that the victims died from gun and machete wounds."
Gyang Badung survived the attack, but his wife, four children, mother, grandmother and a nephew did not, he told Compass.
"I came home in the evening and had my meal, and right after I finished, I heard strange movement around our house and suddenly heard gunshots everywhere as my house was being attacked," Badung said.
He jumped through his bedroom window and ran to a farm behind his house, he said.
"I waited in the bush, helpless, not knowing what to do until they left," he said. "I saw more than nine people who came to attack us leaving into the bush and going away from our village. When I returned home, I found out that my whole family had been killed except for two sons, who were injured but survived, and my father who also narrowly escaped and ran into the bush."
The ages of the children he lost were 15, 9, 5, and 4. His two injured sons are receiving hospital treatment.
On Sept. 8, Muslim extremists attacked Tsohon Foron village, killing 10 Christians, all members of the family of Danjuma Gyang Tsok. The attackers, surviving members of the community say, were assisted in the attack by armed military personnel of the Nigerian Army.
Those killed included Danjuma Gyang Tsok; Polohlis Mwanti; Perewat Polohlis, 9; Patience Polohlis, 3; Blessing Polohlis, 5; Paulina Pam, 13; Maimuna Garba; Kale Garba; Hadiza Garba, 10; and Aisha Garba, 3.
Adamu Tsuka, community leader in Vwang Kogot, told Compass Direct News that other Christians killed in the attack were Mallam Danboyi; Zaka Danboyi; Ngyem Danboyi; Hjan Badung; Naomi Gyang; Rifkatu, 15; Patience, 9; Ishaku, 5; Nerat, 4; Dauda Badung, 22; Martha Dauda, 20; Mary Dauda, 6; Isaac Dauda, 4; Mafeng Bulus, 18; and the unborn child.
"This is the fifth time our people have been murdered," Tsuka said. "There is nothing we can do. Many of my people have been killed. Please, we want the government to help us do something; if not, we can’t live here again."
Source: Compass Direct News
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