Nigeria: Terrorists disguise themselves as Christians, killing more than 50 before setting fire to church

A group of unidentified people believed to be ethnic Fulani terrorists in southwestern Nigeria’s Ondo state opened fire on Sunday and blew up a crowded Catholic church, killing at least 50 people. aspirant This was reported by the newspaper on Monday.

Assault St. It happened in St. Louis. Francis Catholic Church in Ovo, a city in Ondo state, at noon on June 5, Reuters reported that local doctors reported that at least 50 people, including women and children, were killed in the massacre. aspirant On June 6, it was learned that some of the victims were pregnant.

“Militants entered the religious district with explosives they detonated and then opened fire on the congregation during a church service,” said Olayemi Adeyemi, a lawmaker representing the Owo constituency in the Ondo State Legislature. aspirant June 5th.

“The locals around the church saw the attackers flee after committing a horrific act on the church. Armed shepherds from Fulani,” he said.

“Attack is revenge aimed at sending a message. [Ondo State] Governor Rotimi Akeredolou, who evacuated the brutal Fulani pastoralists from the area, ”said the Governor.

aspirant He’s interviewing survivors and witnesses. An anonymous source told the newspaper that four or five armed men pretended to worship before they ambushed the church. Doctors in Ovo anonymously told Reuters on Monday that blood donations are needed at local hospitals to help victims of the attack.

“[Nigerian] President Muhammadu Buhari denounced the attack, calling it “heinous”, and the Vatican said Pope Francis prayed for victims “who suffered at the moment of celebration”, Reuters reported on June 6.

President Buhari came from a predominantly Muslim Fulani tribe. The leader, a practicing Muslim, has drawn criticism from observers inside and outside Nigeria for failing to implement any effective policies to curb anti-Christian attacks by Fulani jihadists. Militant members of the Fulani tribe are often referred to as “cattle herders” because of their typical nomadic lifestyle. Tribal terrorists are actually jihadists who carry out targeted attacks on Christian villages in Nigeria.

The Islamic uprising in Nigeria was not limited to Fulani attacks. The West African country has been home to the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram since 2009. The group is based in northeastern Nigeria, but in recent years it has expanded its territory at the expense of more central parts of the country, including those immediately surrounding the national territory. Capital of Abuja.

Nigeria’s population is split approximately 50/50 between Muslims and Christians, with Muslims partially making up the national majority. The Christians in the country predominantly live in the south, while the majority of Muslims live in the north of Nigeria.