Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 168 | Wed 18 Jul 2012

NIGERIA: TERROR IN PLATEAU STATE

by Elizabeth Kendal

Numbering around 30 million, the Fulani (also known as Fulbe) are the
largest nomadic tribe in the world, with around half living in northern
Nigeria. Like the traditionally nomadic Tuareg who are mostly based in
northern Mali, the Fulani are spread over the Sahel, occupying a large
area mostly south and east of the Tuareg zone. Just like the Tuareg, the
Fulani have been impacted negatively by desertification and modernisation.
As the desert has migrated south, so too have the Fulani. Traditionally
nomadic cattle herders, they either urbanise or seek out new lands to
graze their cattle. This brings them into conflict with the ‘indigenes’:
settled, agrarian, mostly Christian tribes. Over recent decades, resurgent
Islamic fundamentalist political ideology has been added to the volatile
mix, paving the way for Islamists and jihadists to hijack local issues
strategically for their own ends.

On Saturday morning 7 July some 100 ethnic Fulani (Muslim) herdsmen
launched attacks on nine ethnic Berom (Christian) villages in Riyom and
Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Plateau State. Sources told
Channels TV that around one hundred attackers stormed the villages
commando-style, dressed in black attire with bullet-proof vests and
sophisticated weapons. Sixty-three people were killed, dozens wounded and
more than 60 homes were burned. The next day Christians and sympathetic
Muslims, along with several political dignitaries, gathered in Matse
village for a mass burial. During the funeral procession Fulani gunmen
swept in firing indiscriminately, aided in their attack by uniformed
soldiers. Whilst at least 22 mourners were killed, Nigerian security
forces were able to repel the assailants, killing at least 16 of them and
capturing one. A further 50 bodies were discovered later in Matse in the
home of a Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) pastor. It appears that the
victims had been killed the previous day after they fled to the COCIN
church for refuge. The pastor took them in but when the Fulani got word of
it they surrounded the house and set it on fire.

Whilst the al-Qaeda-linked terror group Boko Haram claimed responsibility
for the weekend’s attacks, the violence does not bear the hallmarks of
Boko Haram. Rather, it bears all the hallmarks of a Fulani raid. These
raids have become all too common around the Plateau’s ethnic-religious
fault-line. It has long been suspected that partisan rogue elements within
the Nigerian military are assisting both the Fulani in their raids and
Boko Haram in their terror and that Boko Haram is inciting belligerent
Fulani to kill Christians and is probably also participating in the
attacks. Boko Haram terror receives attention because Boko Haram is
demanding that Sharia Law be enacted across the nation. Because the
Fulani’s terror raids have local aims – ethnic cleansing and colonisation –
they receive little attention. Consequently the Fulani – now with help
from Boko Haram and rogue military – are inching south, village by
village, terrorising, killing and displacing many thousands of Christians
in the process.

On Saturday 14 July the Nigerian military ordered that residents be
temporarily relocated out of five Fulani-dominated villages in Barkin Ladi
and Riyom LGAs where terrorist elements are believed to be hiding out. A
further five villages are on stand-by. Fulani leaders initially encouraged
the Fulani to defy the military order and stay put even though a military
sweep was imminent. However, on the Monday a deal was brokered that
enabled a peaceful relocation of thousands of Fulani into temporary camps.
It remains a very difficult and tense situation.

Christians of the Plateau are living in a state of fear, a state of siege.
Bombed in their churches, slaughtered in their homes, they are not even
safe in their beds at night. There is more to this than meets the eye: as
Christ builds his Church, the spiritual battle intensifies. This trauma
has its origins – and its victory – in heavenly realms!

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL –

* draw Christian individuals, families, churches and communities ever
closer to him – the LORD of hosts – for only in him is there comfort,
restoration, encouragement, wisdom, justice and ‘strength to turn back
the battle at the gate’. (See Isaiah 28:5,6.)

* work through Nigerian political, civic and religious leadership to
address practical issues of governance and security for the sake of his
Church and the spread of the Gospel.

* bind the forces of evil in heavenly realms that seek to exploit human
sinfulness to erect bulwarks against the gospel and send the Holy
Spirit with quickening power to open eyes, minds and hearts across
Nigeria, that Jesus will be exalted and troubled communities might be
transformed.

‘Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’ (Matthew 18:18
ESV.)

To view this RLPB with hyperlinks, visit the Religious Liberty Prayer
Bulletin blog: http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com

Ramadan (Muslim month of fasting) commences on 20 July.
Please see http://www.30-days.net/ and pray for Muslims through Ramadan.

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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
———————————————————–

TERROR IN PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

On Saturday 7 July some 100 Fulani (Muslim) herdsmen launched attacks on
nine Berom (Christian) villages in Riyom and Barkin Ladi Local Government
Areas of Plateau State. Wearing bullet-proof vests and armed with
sophisticated weapons, they killed 63 people, wounded dozens and torched
more than 60 homes. The next day they attacked the funeral, killing
another 22. A further 50 bodies were  found later in the burnt-out home of
a local pastor who had sheltered fleeing Christians. Boko Haram claimed
responsibility but the terror bears all the hallmarks of a Fulani raid
aimed at ethnic cleansing and colonisation. Boko Haram incites and
participates in the killings, with rogue elements in the military aiding
both Boko Haram and the Fulani. Christians are not safe anywhere. Please
pray.

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We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might
also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their
worship by people who are leading in prayer.

For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal’s
blog ‘Religious Liberty Monitoring’ <http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com>.

Previous RLPBs may be viewed at <http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com/>.

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious
Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international
religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.

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