At least 25 people were killed after Fulani extremists attacked BinPer Bwai village in Mangu, Plateau State, northern Nigeria, during the night of 17–18 August. The assault follows several days of violence in the area, including attacks in which houses, farmland, and churches were burned.
The week prior, on 12 August, a large group of extremists attempted to attack Murish, Jwak Maitumbi, and Mairana communities in broad daylight. Witnesses report that the attackers chanted “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greater”) and fired into the air while residents worked on their farms. Local security networks repelled the attacks in Murish and Mairana, but the assailants entered Jwak Maitumbi, where they burned houses, farmland, and churches. No deaths were recorded that day.
The following Monday, attackers entered BinPer Bwai village between midnight and the early hours of Tuesday morning. An Open Doors field contact shares that the extremists moved from house to house, killing residents with machetes, including women and children who were asleep. The attackers also destroyed residents’ farms.
Residents said Nigerian soldiers were stationed in the area and nearby communities when the attacks occurred. In the aftermath, women from the community protested, expressing frustration that the military had not prevented the violence. Punch reports that the women marched through the community carrying leaves, mourning those killed, and calling for urgent government action to protect residents.
The attacks have heightened fear among residents who are returning to rebuild their ancestral homes after the violence, loss, and displacement they experienced in 2023.
The victims were buried in a mass burial on Wednesday, 19 August, according to Punch.
Kewente*, a local contact from the area, says he was told the number of women and children killed in these attacks was higher than that of men because the attackers hid in strategic places before the men of the community went out to keep watch over their village, not knowing that they had left the enemies near their homes. It’s easy for the extremists to creep in now due to overgrown bushes, since this is the peak of the wet season.
Impact on the Persecuted Church
According to our local field contacts, the Mangu community is 99% Christian. These communities have suffered years of ongoing violence. The attacks cause obvious physical loss but also emotional and spiritual trauma that have long lasting effects on families and communities. “The attacks spreads fear, weakens social cohesion, hinders economic growth, and increases the burden on the church,” a local church leader explains. “Congregations often look at church leaders for emotional support, and after large attacks, the church leaders likely also in their personal capacity suffer losses while still supporting others.”
Please pray:
- Pray God brings peace to Mangu land.
- Pray God comforts those who lost their loved ones.
- Pray that Christians in Mangu will remain steadfast in their faith amidst persecution.
- Pray for justice for the victims and that the perpetrators will come to know Jesus.
- Pray for churches to be able to support communities physically and emotionally, but also for church leaders to stand strong in responding in biblical ways to the situation.
Stay updated with the latest prayer requests from the persecuted church.
