(TJV NEWS) In a wave of brutal violence coinciding with the beginning of Holy Week, more than 60 Christians were killed in coordinated assaults across seven villages in Nigeria’s Plateau State, according to local officials. The attacks, carried out by armed Islamic Fulani militants, left over 1,000 people displaced and destroyed nearly 400 homes.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State described the violence in Bokkos County as “genocide,” part of an ongoing crisis that has seen Christian communities targeted by Islamist groups across Nigeria and broader parts of Africa.

“These heavily armed Fulani militants arrived on motorcycles and launched surprise attacks on our villages,” said community leader Maren Aradong, speaking to Christian Daily International–Morning Star News. The attackers looted food supplies and other essentials, compounding the loss for affected communities.

The violence is the latest in a pattern of deadly assaults linked to Fulani militias, who have been implicated in the deaths of thousands of Christians across Nigeria’s Middle Belt over the past two decades. Many of these attacks are believed to be motivated by Islamic  extremism and territorial disputes.

Jeff King, president of the religious freedom watchdog group International Christian Concern (ICC), called for urgent international action. “This is yet another chapter in what amounts to a slow-moving genocide against Nigeria’s Christian population,” King said. “The Nigerian government has repeatedly failed to arrest or prosecute the perpetrators of these atrocities, while appealing to international partners for more aid.”

For years, armed Fulani groups have carried out violent attacks involving machetes, firearms, and arson — leaving entire villages in ruins. Despite global awareness of the crisis, meaningful intervention remains elusive.

Religious leaders, including Catholic bishops and Christian organizations, have held public prayer gatherings and peaceful demonstrations to call attention to the worsening security situation in Nigeria, where mass abductions and anti-Christian violence have become tragically routine.

Christian advocacy groups, such as Open Doors, report a rising trend of targeted violence against Christians across Sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria is among the deadliest places in the world for Christians, with militant attacks forcing millions to flee their homes. Of the 34.5 million displaced people across the region, roughly 16.2 million are Christians.

Open Doors’ latest data shows that eight of the ten most dangerous countries for Christians are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria, though ranking high on that list, has seen consistently severe attacks for years. Widespread instability and limited government response have created fertile ground for extremist violence.

The global persecution of Christians includes a wide range of hostile acts — from the burning and desecration of churches to theft, vandalism, and even satanic rituals targeting religious sites. Advocacy groups warn that Christian persecution, though often underreported, is among the most severe forms of religious oppression in the world today.

Christian leaders and human rights advocates continue to call for international accountability and pressure on the Nigerian government to protect vulnerable communities and hold the perpetrators of these atrocities to justice.