Soldiers
charged with protecting Plateau state villagers allegedly opened fire on them as
they fled a militant attack on Monday – leaving 32 Christians dead.
Several
survivors accused Special Task Force soldiers stationed in Shonong of turning
their weapons on villagers as they fled hundreds of Fulani herdsmen armed with
guns and machetes. Many were killed as the herdsmen burned homes and attacked
mainly women, the elderly and children – but others were reportedly hit by
soldiers’ bullets. The village, which is in the Riyom area, has been virtually
destroyed, with only three homes remaining.
Villagers
said that one other Christian had been killed in the village on the previous
day, allegedly by herdsmen ‘led by a soldier’. Soldiers had been aggressive,
reportedly shooting into the air and demanding that locals sell them
alcohol.
Survivor
Antele Alamba, 25, told Morning Star News that villagers were trapped. ‘There
was no escape for us,’ she said. ‘We ran to the church, and some soldiers
followed us there. They were shooting, and the herdsmen were shooting too. It
was chaos and confusion.’
All
of those killed were from Shonong’s Church of Christ In Nigeria congregation.
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