ABUJA, Nigeria — Five Christians in Nigeria’s Plateau state were killed in attacks, and an abducted elderly man was slain even though his family paid ransom.
The media sources Christian Daily International and Morning Star News report that James Yakubu, 23, was killed Dec. 1 in an ambush in Du’ang village. A human rights advocate said Julius Dung was traveling with Yakubu when six Muslim Fulani herdsmen attacked them.
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Dung escaped and sought help for Yakubu from Du’ang villagers. Dung said he and villagers searched for an hour before finding Yakubu’s body.
On Nov. 25, a Christian was killed when herdsmen attacked the villages of Maikatako and Maihakorin Gold, state the media outlets.
A week earlier, herdsmen abducted Deh Idi Dakum, 85, from Matelem. The family paid ransom Nov. 20, but the man was not released, his son told the news outlets.
Instead, captors demanded additional money Nov. 23.
‘Dead for days’
But the family discovered his body that morning. “We found out he had been dead for days,” the son said.
A rights advocate also reported that herdsmen “gruesomely murdered” three Christians in the Barkin Ladi area Nov. 6.
Nigeria, which is No. 6 on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian, has led the world in the number of Christians killed for their faith or kidnapped.
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