On August 18, armed men carried out a deadly coordinated evening raid on several Christian farming villages in Chakfem District, Mangu County, Plateau State, Nigeria, leaving at least 15 people dead, including women and children. The attackers struck between 7:30 and 8 p.m., targeting the villages of Tim, Koppang, Mihidihin, Jiblang, Jilem, Jibin, and Manden. They set homes ablaze, looted livestock, and displaced thousands of residents. Among the structures destroyed was the palace of the local ruler, whose official vehicle was torched. By the next morning, security forces arrived, but too late to prevent further devastation; victims were buried in a mass grave due to the high number of casualties and lack of facilities. Community leaders estimate that more than 3,000 Christians fled, many seeking refuge in church compounds or open fields, while the injured were treated at a local Christian hospital.

Local leaders accused Fulani militants of orchestrating the violence, citing years of tension in the region, while the Fulani association denied involvement. Residents criticized security forces for their late response, arguing that difficult terrain provides attackers with easy escape routes. The Chakfem massacre is part of a broader pattern of targeted violence against Christians in central Nigeria, where entire villages have been wiped out in night raids. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, warn that these attacks reflect systematic persecution of Christian communities. In recent years, Plateau State has suffered mass killings, displacement of tens of thousands, and destruction of churches, underscoring the urgent calls from survivors and advocacy groups for Nigerian authorities to deploy stronger protection and accountability measures.

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SOURCE: International Christian Concern