Muslim gunmen kill at least 40 in an attack on a Christian farming community in Nigeria, highlighting deepening religious and land conflicts that threaten regional stability and food security.
Quick Takes
- Muslim Fulani herders attacked a Christian farming community in Zike, Plateau state, with death tolls reported between 40 and 54 people.
- Amnesty International condemned the attack and criticized security failures, noting 1,336 people were killed in Plateau state between December 2023 and February 2024.
- President Bola Tinubu has ordered a thorough investigation into the violence, which is part of ongoing land disputes and religious tensions.
- Homes were destroyed and looted during the attack, which specifically targeted vulnerable victims including children and the elderly.
- The conflict represents a larger pattern of violence over limited land resources, exacerbated by climate change and economic pressures.
Deadly Night Attack Claims Dozens of Lives
A brutal attack by armed gunmen killed at least 40 people in the Zike community of Plateau state in north-central Nigeria. The assault occurred between midnight and 1:00 a.m., targeting a Christian farming community while residents were asleep. Amnesty International reported that the victims, including children and elderly residents, were taken by surprise and had no opportunity to escape. Local resident Andy Yakubu stated that homes were systematically destroyed and looted during the attack, suggesting the death toll could exceed 50 people. Different organizations have reported varying casualty figures, with the Red Cross counting 52 deaths and Amnesty International documenting 54 fatalities.
The attackers are believed to be herders from the predominantly Muslim Fulani tribe, who have been involved in ongoing conflicts with predominantly Christian farming communities over increasingly scarce land resources. Plateau state has become an epicenter for these clashes, with local ethnic associations reporting at least 75 Irigwe people killed since December 2024. The violence has persisted despite the deployment of additional security forces to the region, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of government protection measures for vulnerable rural communities.
Amnesty International condemns the massacre of at least 51 people in Zikke village, Plateau State, Nigeria
Gunmen razed homes, looted villages, and left a trail of devastation
‘Everything was destroyed in their path’ pic.twitter.com/RX5acieBBV
— RT (@RT_com) April 14, 2025
Government Response and Security Failures
President Bola Tinubu condemned the violence and ordered security agencies to launch a comprehensive investigation into the attack. In his official statement, Tinubu extended condolences to the victims and their families while emphasizing the need to identify and hold accountable those responsible for orchestrating the violence. However, human rights organizations have questioned the government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable communities, pointing to a troubling pattern of security failures in the region despite repeated attacks targeting specific populations.
Amnesty International’s documentation of 1,336 deaths in Plateau state between December 2023 and February 2024 represents a staggering failure of security measures in the region. The organization has criticized the Nigerian government for ineffective measures to curb the violence and protect civilian populations. Samuel Jugo, spokesperson for the Irigwe Development Association, described the latest attack as “very provocative, vexing and undeserving,” reflecting the frustration of local communities who continue to face deadly violence despite government assurances of protection.
Roots of the Conflict
The violence in north-central Nigeria stems from a complex intersection of land disputes, religious divisions, and resource competition. Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers have increasingly clashed over diminishing land resources, creating deep communal divisions. These tensions are separate from the Boko Haram insurgency that has affected Nigeria’s northern regions since 2009, representing a distinct conflict with its own dynamics and challenges. The Fulani have been accused of carrying out mass killings in both the northwest and central regions of Nigeria, further exacerbating religious and ethnic tensions.
Economic pressures and climate change have intensified competition for arable land and water resources, adding fuel to existing religious and ethnic divisions. As farming communities face repeated attacks, agricultural productivity suffers, creating a dangerous cycle of food insecurity and further instability. President Tinubu has called for an end to the violence, stating that ” conflicts rooted in misunderstandings between different ethnic and religious groups, must cease.” However, without addressing the underlying resource competition and security failures, such appeals are unlikely to resolve the deep-seated tensions driving the ongoing violence.
Sources:
Attack leaves at least 40 people dead in Nigeria, the country’s president says
Nigeria: Amnesty condemns government after deadly attack
