Breaking point in Central Nigeria?

HART Report details terror and mass displacement in the Middle Belt.

[From the Foreword:] As the world’s attention turns to Ukraine, we must not forget the suffering of Nigerians. Across Nigeria, tens of thousands have been killed or wounded in horrific terrorist attacks. Millions are displaced. Children cannot go to school, at the expense of their education. Some local observers have gone so far as to describe the rising attacks as a campaign of ethno-religious cleansing.

Many are asking the question: is a genocide unfolding in Nigeria? Ethnic and religious animosity has fuelled conflicts in Nigeria for decades. The emergence of radical Islamist sects in the north has been a source of considerable tension since the country gained independence over sixty years ago.

The recent reign of terror inflicted by Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) is well documented. Less well known, however, is the escalation of attacks by Islamist Fulani militia against predominantly Christian communities in the Middle Belt. I have visited Nigeria many times, to stand alongside HART’s courageous local partners in the north and Middle Belt. Yet this was the first time I was advised to fly from Abuja to Jos, rather than travelling by road, due to the increased frequency of killings and kidnappings – another indication that insecurity is worsening in central states.

Despite the scale and nature of the violence, it rarely hits our headlines. The crisis remains out of sight of the world’s media. My urgent plea is that we no longer turn a deaf ear to the suffering of Nigerians, including the families, widows and orphans displaced in the Middle Belt. Their plight is deserving of our unwavering solidarity, our constant media interest and an immediate humanitarian response.

The Baroness Cox

 Founder President of Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART)

Independent Member of the UK House of Lords

See also:

Nigeria may become the next Rwanda, warns report into violence against Christians, by Julian Mann, Christian Today