A Christian pastor, his wife, and their two children were murdered by gunmen in Nigeria April 26 in one of the latest attacks on Christians in the region, according to local media reports.
Legit.ng reported that an eyewitness said the gunmen attacked the village of Gako in Nigeria’s Plateau State around 11 p.m. and began “shooting everywhere,” killing Reverend Ayuba Choji, his wife, Chundung Ayuba, and their two children, Cyril and Endurance.
Violent attacks have become common in Plateau State because it is the boundary between Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim population in the north and the Christian population in the south. As Zeale News has reported, armed Muslim tribes often carry out devastating attacks on Christian communities, making Nigeria one of the deadliest countries in the world to be a Christian.
According to Legit.ng, Gako residents said security failed to contain the situation and protect those threatened by the gunmen.
“This killing must end now,” one resident told the outlet, calling on Gov. Caleb Mutfwang and other federal authorities and agencies to protect Nigerians.
He continued, “All concerned should also do everything possible to prevent escalation. Enough is enough!”
As Zeale News previously reported, the deadly incident follows an attack in Plateau State on Palm Sunday that left at least 30 Christians dead. Though media often say the violence stems from land disputes, climate change, and criminal activity, Congressman Chris Smith, R-N.J., and Bishop Robert Barron, along with other political and faith leaders, have decried the pattern of violence as systematic religious persecution.