FURTHER acts of violence against Christians have been reported in the neighbouring Nigerian states of Kaduna and Kano.

During Sunday and Monday, Fulani militia are said to have attacked three villages in southern Kaduna, killing at least 49 people and abducting 27 more.

A Roman Catholic priest who ministers in the area reported: “They first went to houses of people they know usually help in coordinating local security in the communities and killed them alongside their families before proceeding to other areas.”

The UK charity CSW reports that most of those abducted belong to an Evangelical church. In Kano, the chair of the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Revd Yohanna Shuaibu, died on Thursday of last week from wounds inflicted when a mob attacked his house. Tensions had arisen after a former Muslim killed his brother’s wife. Although he had no connection with Mr Shuaibu, Muslims in the area believed that he had converted to Christianity.

Mr Shuaibu was one of the most prominent Christians in the community, having founded a church and a school, and raised funds for boreholes for Christians, denied access to government funds. Although his wife and children escaped the attack, his house, church, and school were burned.