ABUJA, Nigeria: According to media outlet Morning Star News, Fulani militants killed more than 70 Christians last week in a village in central Nigeria. The slaughter prompted state officials to acknowledge that the lack of government protection means citizens must defend themselves.

According to Terumbur Kartyo, the chairman of the Ukum Local Government Council in Benue State, “In just two days, over 70 Christians were killed by Fulani militiamen in Gbeji community in our local government area.”

Kartyo continued, sharing that the Fulani militants shot and injured more than 100 Christians in Udei and Yelewata villages, displacing thousands more who fled for their lives.

According to an area resident, “About 36 corpses of some of the victims have so far been recovered and taken to the mortuary.”

Ukum resident Bede Bartholomew said at least 56 Christians were killed in Gbeji town last week, a local media reported.

Benue state government officials visited the area after the attacks. They stated that since the federal government is unable to stop the violence, it ought to provide high-powered arms to citizens’ defence groups.

“We are standing on our request for the federal government to give us a license for our Volunteer Guards to bear AK-47s and other sophisticated weapons,” said Secretary to the State Government Anthony Ijohor, representing Benue Gov. Samuel Ortom. “The security agencies have been overstretched, and, that being the case, our people have to defend themselves.”

Radicalized Fulani militants, who belong to the largely nomadic Fulani herding communities found mostly in northern Nigeria, pose threats to Christian farming villages. Militants often attack Christians and burn their farms, especially in more rural communities.

In the 2022 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria jumped to seventh place, its highest ranking ever, from No. 9 the previous year.