By Ekani Olikita
(Makurdi – BREAKING) Heavily armed Fulani ethnic militia have razed three predominantly Christian communities in Central Nigeria’s Nasarawa State in coordinated attacks over a 24-hour period
Residents say the violence lasted more than 24 hours without any intervention from security forces.
The affected communities: Gidan-Ogiri (Sabon-Gida), Akyewa-Baka and Udege-Kasa in Nasarawa County of the state, were attacked between Thursday, April 2, and Friday, April 3, 2026.
Witnesses report that homes were set ablaze, properties destroyed and an unconfirmed number of residents killed as the violence spread across the rural settlements.
Gidan-Ogiri in Udeni-Gida Precinct was reportedly burned down on Thursday, while Akyewa-Baka and Udege-Kasa in Udege Precinct were set on fire the following day.
Residents say the attackers moved with no resistance and no visible response from local vigilantes or government security personnel.
Abu Jonah Akum, a resident of Sabon-Gida in a phone interview with TruthNigeria, described the situation as both terrifying and frustrating. “Fulani militia have been attacking our communities for over 24 hours for reasons best known to only them and there has been no reaction from the police or military,” he said. “What can we call this if not some forms of collaboration?”
Ismail Dan Hajiya, a resident of Akyewa-Baka Community said, the attacks appeared deliberate and strategic.
“They are burning our homes to force us out,” the resident said. “This is not random violence—they want to take over our land,” Hajiya told TruthNigeria
In Udege-Kasa, a resident, Adon Gari recounted fleeing with family members as Fulani Militia advanced into the village. “We ran into the bush and watched everything we owned go up in flames,” the resident said. “There was no one to protect us.”
Residents across the affected communities have accused both the attackers and security personnel of complicity, alleging that the absence of a timely response enabled the scale of destruction.
Security analysts warn that such attacks reflect a broader pattern of rural violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, where Ethno-religious cleansing by armed Muslim Fulani Ethnic Militia against local Christian residents has escalated in recent years.
According to Dr. Damian Attah, an anti-terrorism expert at the Benue State University Makurdi, the incident underscores systemic gaps in early warning and rapid response mechanisms.
“The persistence of these attacks points to serious deficiencies in Nigeria’s security architecture,”
“When communities are left vulnerable for extended periods, it not only emboldens perpetrators but also deepens mistrust between civilians and the state,” Damian told TruthNigeria.
According to an investigation by TruthNigeria, Nasarawa State, with its capital in Lafia, increasingly has been identified by local observers as a staging ground for armed groups operating across neighboring states, including Benue, Plateau, Taraba, and parts of southern Kaduna, as well as areas near the Federal Capital Territory
Fulani Ethnic Militia have been linked to thousands of deadly attacks across Nigeria. According to the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, Fulani militants were responsible for killing almost 24,000 civilians in the 4-year reporting period, making the conflict one of the deadliest in the country’s recent history
As of the time of this report, authorities have not released an official statement on the attacks, and the exact number of casualties remains unknown.
Meanwhile, displaced residents continue to seek refuge in nearby communities, uncertain of when—or if—they can safely return home.
Ekani Olikita is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
