By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
ABUJA (Worthy News) – Clashes between local security forces and Islamic fighters linked to crime gangs and designated terror groups killed more than 100 people across Nigeria over the weekend, with many victims identified as Christians, several sources confirmed Sunday.
At least seven Christians were killed late Friday when armed bandits attacked Magajin Wando village in Katsina State’s Dandume Local Government Area, said Paul Jongas, a Christian evangelist and farmer.
“The victims are all Christians,” he told Worthy News, adding the raid occurred between 11 p.m. and midnight.
Advocacy group Open Doors noted that armed bandits, sometimes overlapping with Islamic militant groups, have repeatedly targeted Christian communities in northern Nigeria, often combining criminal motives with religious persecution.
Katsina State authorities confirmed the incident. Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs Nasir Mu’azu credited the Community Watch Corps with repelling the attackers. “Thanks to the swift and courageous intervention… the attack was repelled, preventing what could have been a far more devastating outcome,” he said.
Yet, Mu’azu added, those injured during the raid were later ambushed en route to the hospital by the same bandits, who split into groups. “Their vehicle was riddled with bullets… the Community Watch Corps fought bravely, escaped the ambush, and returned to safety, but their vehicle was burnt.”
VILLAGERS FIGHT BACK
Elsewhere, residents of Shagari and Bimasa villages in Sokoto State launched a counteroffensive against bandits besieging their communities.
In a gun battle lasting several hours, villagers reportedly killed 15 bandits, freed kidnapped victims, and recovered dozens of stolen cattle.
“The bandits, who attacked in large numbers, were overpowered by the coordinated self-defense efforts of the communities,” eyewitnesses said. Community leaders hailed the action as a “turning point” but urged government forces to prevent reprisals. “We will never allow bandits to dictate our lives again,” said a youth leader from Shagari.
In the northeast, Islamist group Boko Haram, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and others, killed at least 63 people in Darajamal village near the town of Bama in Borno State. Victims included five soldiers and dozens of civilians, mostly displaced people resettled only two months earlier after fleeing earlier attacks, authorities said.
Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, visiting survivors on Saturday, condemned the massacre. “This community was settled a few months ago… unfortunately, they experienced a Boko Haram attack last night. Our visit is to commiserate with them and build their resilience,” he stressed.
Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, representing the area, called it “a crime against humanity.” Reports said scores of residents remain missing.
UN CONDEMNATION
The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, also expressed outrage.
“Civilians should never be a target,” he said, noting at least 50 civilians were killed and dozens abducted.
“This recent killing of civilians is yet another grim reminder of the toll of rising violent attacks and insecurity in Borno State this year.”
Reports indicated that scores of residents remain unaccounted for, raising the known death toll from the weekend clashes across Nigeria to more than 100.
The weekend’s violence underscores Nigeria’s overlapping security crises — rural banditry and kidnappings in the northwest, and Islamist insurgency in the northeast — with Christians often caught in the crossfire, Worthy News documented.
Rights groups warn that Christians are disproportionately targeted in these attacks, which they say often combine criminal and religious motives, such as imposing Islamic Sharia law.
Up to 5,000 Christians are believed to be killed annually in Nigeria, according to advocacy reports. The country currently ranks sixth on Open Doors’ annual World Watch List of 50 nations where it says Christians face the most severe persecution.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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