11 People Killed in Attack on Predominantly Christian Community in Nigeria

Families in Benue State, Nigeria, have been mourning after an attack on the predominantly Christian farming community of Ayilamo left 11 people dead, according to reports citing the Benue State Police Command.

The September 10 attack reportedly killed seven civilians and four police officers. Police said security forces exchanged gunfire with the attackers for several hours before the assailants withdrew.

Local accounts described the attackers as armed Fulani militia, but reports also note that individual witnesses' descriptions could not independently establish the attackers' identities or affiliations.

The incident is part of continuing insecurity in Nigeria's Middle Belt, where Christian and Muslim communities have both been affected by violence.