Fulani herdsmen killed two more Christians in Plateau state on Friday night (May 21), the same day a Catholic priest was found slain in northwest Nigeria’s Katsina state, sources said.

Following the killing of a young Christian mother and a 19-year-old Christian man in Jebbu Miango village, Miango District on Thursday (May 20), armed Fulani herdsmen the next night invaded Kpachudu village, two miles away, and killed a Christian father of a 1-year-old and another Christian father of two children, sources said.

Ahmadu Jacob, 26, was shot at close range shortly after 9 p.m., said his cousin, Yakubu Joseph.

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“The attack on us took place while we were keeping watch over our village in view of incessant Fulani herdsmen attacks in this area,” Joseph, a member of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), told Morning Star News. “We heard gunshots, and my cousin was seated right at the spot where you’re seated now under this tree. I was a few meters from the spot where my cousin was seated. He was killed instantly.”

Like Joseph, Jacob was a farmer and a member of ECWA church in Kpachucu village. He leaves behind a 1-year-old daughter and his wife, Martha Ahmadu.

The herdsmen were speaking in the Fulani language as they retreated, Joseph said.

The assailants also shot and killed Monday Yakubu, also a member of the ECWA church, outside his house as he kept watch over the community, Joseph said. Yakubu, who was 44, leaves behind his wife, Joyce Monday, and children ages 16 and 3.

“After killing the two, the herdsmen retreated from the village as we were able to repel them,” Joseph said. “Four years back, our village was also attacked, and two members of our community were killed in. These attacks have forced more than 200 members of our community to leave to other safe areas.”

Two other local sources confirmed the killings.

As a result of attacks, a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Kpachudu village has been shut down, Joseph said. The ECWA and the Catholic church are the only ones serving people in the village, which is in Miango District, Bassa County.

PRIEST KILLED, ANOTHER KIDNAPPED

In Katsina state, suspected herdsmen in the early hours of Friday (May 21) invaded a Roman Catholic Church in Malumfashi, killed parish priest Alphonsus Bello, said to be in his young 30s, and kidnapped the Rev. Joe Keke, church leaders and members said.

“Sokoto Diocese has been struck again by another set of blood-sucking demons, kidnappers,” church member Emmanuel Albert said in a text message to Morning Star News. “The Rev. Fr. Alphonsus is gone but will never be forgotten. He died because of his Christian faith, and as he has gone to meet his Maker, may eternal rest be granted to his soul.”

Church member Emmanuel Zhuwahu said he had known Bello since childhood.

“We learned that his body has been discovered in the nearby bush, while the other priest is still missing,” Zhuwahu said in a text message to Morning Star News. “My aging mother’s wailing when I broke the news to her over the phone is jaggedly ringing in my soul…We pray for other priests and good people in captivity that God will bring them back home.”