Boko Haram, an Islamic terror entity active in western Africa, murdered four Christians in Nigeria and destroyed a church building on Sept. 23.
The nighttime raid also caused several injuries and resulted in the destruction of homes and shops, according to a release from International Christian Concern on Oct. 2.
The attack occurred in Wagga Mongoro in Madagali County, in the Nigerian state of Adamawa.
“The group was heavily armed, and there was no official security presence, so our vigilante group had to abandon the fight,” one resident said in an interview with HumAngle cited by International Christian Concern.
“So far, we don’t know the total number of injured persons apart from the deceased,” the resident said at the time.
The victims of the Islamic attack on the Christian community reportedly included David Mbicho, his son Daniel, Jude Jacob, and Omega Duda.
According to International Christian Concern, security forces did not arrive until Sept. 24, hours after the attack had already ended.
The residents said that smaller towns, such as Wagga Mongoro, are more vulnerable to Islamic attacks since security forces are usually stationed in larger population centers.
Just a few months earlier, Wagga Mongoro was victimized by another raid from Boko Haram.
The militants burned houses and forced residents to flee into other villages.
The most recent attack came after residents had returned and started rebuilding their lives.
“Right now, people have packed their bags and are leaving for Yola, the Adamawa state capital, and other places to go and stay with their loved ones. Nobody wants to stay behind to witness this kind of incident again,” Cyrus Ezra, another local, said of the violence.
“We are scared,” Ezra continued. “Our greatest need right now is security. Some of us don’t want to leave our homes.”
Christian communities in Nigeria have faced repeated violence from Islamic groups in recent years.
Open Doors lists the African nation as seventh on their world watchlist for Christian persecution.
“While Christians used to be vulnerable only in the Muslim-majority northern states, this violence continues to spread into the Middle Belt and even further south,” Open Doors said on its website.
“The attacks are shockingly brutal. Many believers are killed, particularly men, while women are often kidnapped and targeted for sexual violence,” the site continued.
“More believers are killed for their faith in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world. These militants also destroy homes, churches, and livelihoods.”
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