Anniversary of Dogo Nahauwa massacre in Nigeria comes and goes; no change

Persecution in Dogo Nahauwa
remains unchanged one year
after a massacre.

One year ago this past Monday, armed Fulani men massacred more than 400 Christians in Dogo Nahauwa, Zot and Ratsat villages, in Jos South, Nigeria. Today, women and children continue to be the target of violent attacks, reported Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

Despite a heavy security presence in the area, entire families were murdered on March 7, 2010, using tactics that have since become the hallmark of attacks on non-Muslim villages.

Villagers were awaken in the early hours of the morning by gunfire and shouting, as homes were set on fire and victims hacked with machetes. Women and children in particular were targeted, a trend that has only become more widespread in the past year.

On that occasion, the army was slow to respond with assistance, leading some victims to question their commitment to tackling the violence.

Confidence in the security services has continued to plummet as attacks regularly occur in villages within close proximity to military outposts. Concerns of possible collusion in the violence by some parts of the army have grown, following increasing reports of attackers dressed in military uniform or driving military vehicles, and the discovery of military ID, bullet shells and attire at some of the crime scenes. 

This year alone, violent nighttime attacks on villages and university and college campuses in Plateau State, have left more than 50 people dead.

12 arrested over Baghdad church massacre

Our Lady of Salvation Church after the
October 31 attack.
Photo by Ankawa.com

VOM reported in early November (see story here) that Islamic militants stormed a Catholic church during Mass in Baghdad, killing 70 people and wounding 75.

The Assyrian International News Agency and CNN reported today that Huthaifa al-Batawi, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, the "mastermind, direct supervisor and planner" of the October 31 attack, was among 12 arrested in connection with the deadly church siege.

The Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella group that includes a number of Sunni extremist organizations and has ties to al-Qaida in Iraq, claimed responsibility for the Baghdad church siege. It was among the first of many attacks in recent weeks targeting Christians (see stories here and here), which have left scores dead and many more wounded throughout the Middle Eastern nation.

Iraqi security forces made the arrests of the 12 "suspected terrorists," who also have links to al-Qaida in Iraq and a wave of Baghdad explosions on November 2, an Iraqi interior ministry official confirmed.

Gen. Ahmad Abu Ragheef, the head of internal affairs at the Interior Ministry, said in an Iraqiya interview that al-Batawi confessed to his role in the church siege, telling Iraqi authorities who he was and about other attacks he supervised.

You can read the full story here.