The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), has alleged that about 4,020 Nigerian Christians were killed, with another 2,315 abducted by Islamist jihadists in 10 months between January and October of 2022.
The civil society group which made the claim at a press conference held in Onitsha, Anambra State on Monday, said the terror groups responsible for the killings and abductions include the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), Boko Haram, Ansaru, as well as Fulani herdsmen and bandits.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the press conference and jointly signed by its Principal Officers, Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chinwe Umeche, Chidinma Udegbunam, and Ndidiamaka Chinaza Bernard, the group said Christians in Nigeria have been the target of the terrorists in several parts of the country.
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“The past 10 months of 2022, or January to October, had seen no fewer than 4,020 defenseless Christians slaughtered in Nigeria by the country’s Islamic terror Jihadists,” part of the communiqué made available to Ripples Nigeria reads.
“The most atrocious and barbarous being the Jihadist Fulani herdsmen and their regionally assembled allied Islamic terror groups which jointly accounted for 2,650 of the 4,020 total Christian deaths.
“Other culpable Jihadist terror groups are ISWAP, Boko Haram and Ansaruwe accounting for 450 Christian deaths and the Jihadist Fulani (Zamfara) bandits and their splinters responsible for 350 Christian deaths.
“The armed Jihadist groups particularly Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Jihadist Fulani (Zamfara) Bandits had also, during the period under review, abducted not less than 2, 315 defenseless Christians.
“Out of the lot, 1,401 were abducted between January and June, 2022, and 915 abducted between July and Oct 2022. Out of the 2,315 abducted Christians, 10 per cent or 231 have circumstantially been found to be incapable of returning alive to their families, having most likely been killed in captivity for their refusal to convert to Islam or inability to pay huge ransoms demanded.
“The 4,020 Christian deaths in 10 months further indicated 402 Christian deaths per month and 13 deaths per day.
“In the area of the 2,315 Christian abductions in 10 months of 2022, it amounted to 231 Christian abductions per month and approximately eight abductions per day.”