Release International

At least 25 people were killed in two 'hit and run' attacks within 48 hours on Christian villages near Jos.

Release partners say a night raid on Tsohon Foron village on Wednesday and a similar attack on Vwang Kogot village on Friday targeted just two houses. Thirteen of the 25 people killed were children under 16; the adults included a pregnant woman and her unborn child.

One of those killed in Tsohon Foron was a woman and her three children who had just arrived in the village to visit a relative. The 15 people killed in Vwang Kogot were all from the same family, who were attacked just after they had finished a meal.

Gyang Badung, one of the Vwang Kogot villagers, lost his wife, mother, nephew and four children in the attack. Two of his other children had to be taken to hospital. His community has been attacked several times this year. Pastor Dachung Dagai of the Church of Christ In Nigeria told Release partner Stefanos Foundation that two people had been killed in a similar raid earlier this year.

These latest attacks on Christian communities in Plateau State are the latest in a spate of violent raids by ethnic Fulani, according to Stefanos. Our partner quotes eyewitness reports that, in both these most recent raids, Fulani attackers were accompanied by men in military uniform, prompting renewed claims of military complicity in some attacks (Prayer Alert, September 7, 2011).

Areas around Jos have been beset by renewed violence since August. In some instances, Christians have clashed with Muslims and there have been casualties on both sides. Stefanos reports, however, that in the more remote villages Christians are being attacked unprovoked. As the violence continues, villagers are reportedly mounting patrols to try to prevent attacks – but this approach failed in Tsohon Foron's case.

Meanwhile, Stefanos Foundation is also requesting prayer for the widow and children of a missionary named Mark Ojunta, who was shot dead on August 27 while working in Borno state. Boko Haram Islamic extremists have been blamed for the killing.

Mark, 36, worked for Calvary Ministries, a global missionary organisation focusing particularly on Africa. The ministry had recently evacuated missionaries from the area, after learning that their names were on a Boko Haram hit list. Mark had reportedly evacuated his family but had himself returned to continue his work among the Kotoko people. Boko Haram targets Christians as part of its bid to extend strict Sharia or Islamic law across Nigeria.

(Sources: Stefanos Foundation, Calvary Ministries)

• Continue to pray for an end to the cycle of violence in Jos. Pray for swift and decisive action on the part of the authorities to prevent further unprovoked attacks on Christian villages. Ask God to comfort all those who were bereaved in these most recent raids.
• Ask God to guide and strengthen the grieving family of missionary Mark Ojunta, especially his widow, Ema, and their children, Kambe and Akira.

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