Sultan Bello Mosque, city of Kaduna, Kaduna state, Nigeria. (Anasskoko, Creative Commons)

ABUJA, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – Armed terrorists on Thursday night (March 31) raided a predominantly Christian suburb of Kaduna city in northern Nigeria, killing three Christians and wounding three others, sources said.

The gunmen attacked Angwan Bulus village, in the Sabon Tasha area of Chikun County, late at night, said the Rev. Ibrahim Simon, an area pastor.

“Please pray along with us, as we at Angwan Bulus community in Sabon Tasha, Kaduna state, are right now being attacked by terrorists,” Pastor Simon said in a text message to Morning Star News. “The community is under serious siege from gunmen. At the moment, three Christians are confirmed dead, and three others have been injured.”

Among those killed was an employee of a Christian ministry, the Kaduna Rescue Mission, another source said.

The attack began at about 9 p.m., according to another area resident, Suzan Audu Makama.

“Only God can rescue us now,” Makama said. “We at Angwan Bulus in Sabo Tasha need your prayers.”

Ezekiel Gabriel of the city of Kaduna said he was visiting a relative at Angwan Bulus when the attack began.

“I was at Angwan Bulus around 9 p.m. this night, and the next thing I heard was multiple gunshots,” Gabriel said in a text message to Morning Star News. “Terrorists attacked this Christian community. They shot some people, and people were running; children were running, and I had to run for my life too.”

Gabrield managed to transport some victims out of the area in his car to a safe part of Kaduna city, he said.

“Christians are really suffering here in Kaduna,” Gabriel said.

Two Kidnapped

The previous day, March 30, suspected Fulani herdsmen kidnapped two Christians working at their farms in Angwan Barde village, another suburb of the city of Kaduna.

Theo Danjuma of Angwan Barde said the herdsmen phoned the families of the two Christian farmers and demanded ransom payments for their release.

“Christian residents of Angwan Barde are mostly peasant farmers – these herdsmen bandits demand ransoms in millions of naira,” Danjuma said in a text message to Morning Star News. “Where will the families of these kidnapped Christian farmers get such amounts being demanded?”

Angwan Barde village is located along the Kaduna-Abuja highway where kidnappings by herdsmen and terrorists have gained notoriety.

Nine Christians Killed

Armed herdsmen and terrorists attacked the villages of Kpemu, Gwegna, Koliko and Chivin in Kagarko County, Kaduna state on March 28, killing three Christians, residents said.

Kagarko Council official Godwin Magaji said three Christians were killed and six others injured in the attacks, and that the wounded were receiving hospital treatment.

Also March 28, herdsmen in collaboration with terrorists attacked Ungwan Bulus, a predominantly Christian community in Zangon Kataf County, Kaduna state, killing six Christians, said area resident Jonathan Bobai.

Confirming that six Christians were killed, Ungwan Bulus community leader Samuel Achie said terrorists invaded the village at about 9:30 p.m.

“The attacks by these terrorists have gone unabated,” Achie said. “The government is yet to come up with any concrete steps to bring the ugly incidences to an end.”

The Rev. John Joseph Hayab, chairman of the Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said Christians mourning the deaths of their loved ones has become commonplace and accepted by Nigeria authorities.

“A nation where mourning has become an everyday ordeal cannot be productive, because a heart that mourns becomes fragile, unable to think, plan or organize well,” Hayab said. “We call on all Christians and people of goodwill in Kaduna state to continue to pray for peace to reign and persecution of Christians to end.”

Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith last year (Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021) at 4,650, up from 3,530 the previous year, according to Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch List report. The number of kidnapped Christians was also highest in Nigeria, at more than 2,500, up from 990 the previous year, according to the WWL report.

Nigeria trailed only China in the number of churches attacked, with 470 cases, according to the report.

In the 2022 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria jumped to seventh place, its highest ranking ever, from No. 9 the previous year.

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