At least 26 people were killed in three separate attacks over the Easter holiday in northern Nigeria, according to the Nigerian military and local officials.The deadliest attack occurred on Saturday in Mbalom community in Gwer West district of Benue State, where at least 17 people were killed, the Associated Press reported.
Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed the attack on Sunday, but did not give the number of casualties.In a separate attack early Saturday morning, four police officers were killed after gunmen attacked a police headquarters in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state. Police spokesman Kenneth Dassault said that the attackers belonged to a group affiliated with the Islamic State, and that the attack ended after a long exchange of fire.A third attack occurred on Sunday in Ariko village, Kaduna state, where five people were killed after gunmen opened fire during Easter mass, according to the army. The attackers have not been identified. The army said that its soldiers entered the place after receiving a distress call and prevented the kidnapping of 31 people.“Unfortunately, the remains of five victims who were already killed by terrorists were recovered at the scene,” the army said, according to what was reported by the Associated Press.
“The fleeing terrorists are believed to have suffered significant casualties, as evidenced by trails of blood along their escape routes.”Kaduna continued to witness frequent attacks on churches and kidnappings. In January, more than 150 worshipers were kidnapped in Kormen Wali, a village in Kajuru district, about 60 kilometers from where Sunday’s attack occurred.The violence in Benue reflects a broader pattern of insecurity in north-central Nigeria, where conflicts over land and grazing often turn deadly.
These clashes often involve mostly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farming communities. Criminal gangs also operate in the area.US President Donald Trump and some American lawmakers accused Christians of persecution in Nigeria, an allegation denied by the Nigerian government. She also rejected claims describing the country’s worsening insecurity as a “Christian genocide.”On December 25, the United States carried out military strikes in Sokoto, reportedly targeting an ISIS-affiliated group operating in the area.