Baptist Pastor and Church Worker Killed on Way to Sunday Worship in Nigeria

A Baptist pastor and church worker have been killed while travelling to Sunday worship during a fresh wave of deadly attacks in Nigeria’s Plateau State.

The two were attacked on the morning of 20 September near Dorowa Babuje in Barkin Ladi, south of the state capital Jos.

Christian Daily International and Morning Star News reported that the pastor and his secretary were killed while travelling to church. The pastor’s son was seriously wounded.

The pastor has not been publicly identified in that reporting.

The killings formed part of a weekend of violence across Barkin Ladi and surrounding communities in which at least eight Christians were reported killed.

Five Christians were killed on Saturday evening in an ambush at Gana-Ropp, according to residents cited by Christian Daily International and Morning Star News.

Another Christian was reported killed in Rantyidi village at around the same time as the attack near Dorowa Babuje.

Nigerian media reported a broader death toll of at least nine across attacks in Barkin Ladi, Riyom and neighbouring communities between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The violence also forced residents to flee some affected areas.

Local residents quoted by Christian Daily International and Morning Star News identified the attackers as Fulani gunmen or militia.

Separate Nigerian reporting has similarly attributed some of the attacks to suspected Fulani gunmen, although responsibility has not been independently established for every incident.

Fulani communities number in the millions across Nigeria and the wider Sahel and encompass many different groups. The actions of armed factions should not be attributed to Fulani people generally.

For Christians in Dorowa Babuje, the latest violence directly disrupted Sunday worship.

A pastor and church worker setting out for church never arrived, while the pastor’s son was left seriously wounded.

Sources

• Christian Daily International / Morning Star News
• Nigerian Tribune — “Baptist Church pastor, nine others killed in fresh Plateau attacks”
• Vanguard — “Fresh Plateau attacks: Pastor, 8 passengers killed”
• The Guardian Nigeria — reporting on the Plateau attacks