Two Dead, Six Abducted as Majority-Christian Villages Abandon Farms
By Mike Odeh James
(Kaduna) Southern Kaduna is once again drenched in blood as Fulani ethnic militias launched coordinated attacks on peaceful farming communities in Kajuru County [Local Government Area].
Most of these killings have gone unreported in local media, and in most cases, the military spokesman does not respond to calls from TruthNigeria reporters.
The troubled county includes suburbs of the 3 million-person metropolis of Kaduna and extends deep into heavily forested, ungoverned spaces where radicalized terrorist bandits hold sway.
Within a week, two villages—Efele in Doka Avong and Ungwan Sarki (Ehwakya)—were brutally attacked by radicalized criminal gangs on motorcycles, leaving two men dead and six others abducted.
Sunday Slaughter in Efele: One Killed, Six Abducted
Credit Mike Odeh James.
On Sunday, June 9, 2025, Fulani militants struck the village of Efele in Doka Avong. Armed attackers opened fire on residents preparing for church services.
“They came out of nowhere,” said Solomon Dzang, 56, a farmer. “We were getting ready for church when gunshots erupted. Everyone ran in different directions. But John Phillip, our neighbor, wasn’t fast enough.” Phillip died instantly from gunshot wounds.
In addition to the killing, six villagers were abducted. So far, four of the victims have been identified:
Linus Yusuf
Deborah Geoffrey
Suzy Hosea
Agom Hosea
The identities of the remaining two abductees remain unverified at the time of filing this report.
“This isn’t the first time,” Dzang said. “We’ve buried too many. The kidnappings keep happening. The government must hear us.”
TruthNigeria can confirm, based on accounts from villagers, that no ransom demands have been made by the terrorists.
Government Inaction and Calls for Accountability
Alhaji Ishaya Onnusim, Chairman of the Ugom Progressive Union (the umbrella body representing the Ugom community), voiced the frustration of many.
“Our cries for help are ignored. The military and police always come too late or not at all. It’s not just the gunmen we are facing; we are also facing hunger, trauma, and the cold indifference of the world,” he told TruthNigeria.
Why the West Should Be Concerned
Onnusim warned that the Fulani-led massacres in Kajuru and across Nigeria’s Middle Belt are not isolated atrocities—they signal a looming geopolitical disaster.
“If Nigeria becomes a hub for terrorists, it will likely align with Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and other anti-Western outfits,” he said.
Such a shift threatens U.S. and British national security, potentially cutting off access to strategic minerals such as gold, diamonds, lithium, and petroleum—resources that could instead fall under Chinese control.
“The West risks losing Africa’s largest economy to extremist influence,” Onnusim added. “Worse still, Nigeria could begin exporting jihadists across Africa and into the West, amplifying global instability.”
ISIS’s expansion in Africa—especially in Nigeria and the Sahel—poses one of the gravest long-term threats to U.S. interests. Groups such as ISWAP and JNIM are gaining strength, according to Brett Holmgren, head of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center.
Despite mounting casualties in the Middle Belt, national and international responses remain muted. The Southern Kaduna People Union (the body representing all of Southern Kaduna) reports that more than 100 Southern Kaduna villages have been razed since 2010, many now occupied by Fulani Ethnic Militia
More Bloodshed in Kajuru: Ungwan Sarki (Ehwakya) Hit First
Earlier in the week, on Thursday, June 6, 2025, heavily armed Fulani gunmen stormed Ungwan Sarki (Ehwakya) in Maro Ward. Witnesses say approximately 30 attackers rode in on motorcycles and began shooting indiscriminately, throwing the village into chaos.
“As usual, the peaceful village of Ungwan Sarki was once again thrown into chaos and sorrow,” said Onnusim. “They came in large numbers and began shooting indiscriminately. People fled in all directions.”
In the aftermath, one local—Stephen Alhassan, a farmer and trader from the village—was confirmed dead.
“He was chased down and murdered in cold blood while trying to escape. This is the horror we face almost weekly,” Onnusim told TruthNigeria.
The attack not only claimed a life but also disrupted farming and forced residents to flee.
“We can no longer sleep peacefully, farm our lands, or even send our children to school,” Onnusim added. “The elderly are helpless. Women and girls are left vulnerable. Our people are trapped in fear.”
“Ugom Is Being Wiped Off the Map”
Onnusim, whose community spans both affected villages, issued a passionate appeal to authorities and the international community:
“Let the world not wait until Ugom is wiped off the map before something is done. We need security, humanitarian aid, and protection urgently. Our people are dying, and our future is being stolen.”
The Ugom community in Kajuru County includes six closely connected villages: Dogon-Noma, Ewhakya (Ungwan Sarki), Unguwar Abente, Dantaro, Maikuri, and Unguwar Rogo. The predominantly Christian residents worship in Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Methodist, and Catholic churches, maintaining communal solidarity in the face of relentless violence.
Farming, Education Crippled
Ongoing attacks have decimated agriculture—the economic lifeblood of Adara communities, according to local leaders.
“Many villages have stopped cultivation due to fear of ambush,” said Dzang. “Schools are abandoned, and marketplaces lie deserted. Our way of life is disappearing.”
The Efele assault alone displaced more than 500 people, many now taking refuge in Kajuru town and other safer areas. Dzang noted similar displacements in Libere, Gonan Rogo, and Maro.
“As they abandon their ancestral homes, Fulani militants are gradually occupying these lands,” he added. “The clear intention of these attacks is to drive us from our heritage.”
Kajuru’s Long History of Violence
The twin assaults on Efele and Ungwan Sarki are part of a broader pattern. Fulani militia attacks have plagued Kajuru County for more than a decade, targeting Christian-majority communities including the Adara, Gbagyi, and others.
“These attackers, often armed herdsmen, operate with impunity—razing homes, occupying farmlands, and killing without consequence,” Onnusim said.
Human rights advocates describe the situation as a slow-burning campaign of ethnic cleansing, with little to no intervention from Nigerian authorities.
A String of Massacres Ignored
Recent high-profile attacks include:
Libere Village (April 2025): Twelve villagers killed at dawn; dozens of homes burned.
Gonan Rogo (March 2025): Midnight raid leaves eight dead, including women and children.
Maro Ward (Jan–May 2025): Waves of ambushes displace over 1,500 residents.
Ungwan Gora (Christmas Eve, 2024): Twenty villagers murdered while celebrating the holidays.
Mike Odeh James is a conflict reporter and writes for TruthNigeria.
