In the first half of 2023, approximately 2,500 Christians were killed by Fulani Jihadists and their associates. This included a shocking number of 350 deaths in just 18 days from June 12 to June 30. Specifically, 120 deaths occurred in Plateau, 100 (either by the military or other sources) in Imo, and 130 across Nigeria. Additionally, security forces were responsible for the deaths of 1,000 people in Imo State over a period of 30 months from January 2021 to June 2023. During this time, they also burned down 1,400 houses and arrested 3,700 individuals.
The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, a prominent human rights and security advocacy organization in Nigeria, has extensively examined its investigative reports on the targeted violence against Christians in Nigeria and the mass atrocities in Imo. Their findings reveal a deeply disheartening and shocking situation. The previous government led by Retired Major General Muhammad Buhari (May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023) has been implicated in the systematic persecution of Christians and non-Muslims, including the seizure of their lands, destruction of their homes, places of worship and education, and other properties.
A comprehensive review indicates that between June 2015 and June 2023, approximately 31,700 defenseless Christians have lost their lives, and since the 2009 Boko Haram uprising, 53,750 have been brutally murdered. Moreover, at least 18,200 churches, 1,000 traditional religious sanctuaries, 800 synagogues, and related structures, as well as 2,200 Christian schools, have been deliberately burned down or destroyed. This campaign has uprooted 1,100 Christian communities and forced 50 million Christians into displacement and homelessness, while hundreds of thousands have been forcibly converted to Islam. Disturbingly, tens of thousands of non-menopausal Christian women have fallen victim to rape, sexual abuse, or enslavement. As a result, more than 15 million Christian internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees are suffering, with Benue State being the hardest hit, accounting for approximately 2.5 million Christian IDPs.
Equally shocking and concerning is the recent wave of violence that occurred from June 12 to June 30, 2023. During this period, at least 350 defenseless Christians and non-Muslims were mercilessly slaughtered by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and their allied Jihadist Fulani Bandits, who originated from Zamfara State and were previously known as "Zamfara Bandits" from 2011 to 2013.
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