A young widow whose husband was murdered by Fulani herdsmen when they attacked the Dorowa community of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State has alleged that the attackers were given support by soldiers who were supposed to protect them.

The mother of three, who narrated her bitter experience to an NGO, Equipping the Persecuted, said when the bandits attacked their community, they were in their hundreds and virtually surrounded the village, making it quite difficult for many to escape.

“On the day the Fulani attackers invaded our village in Dorowa Babuje, they were more than a hundred,” the widow said.

She recalled that they were all clad in black outfits and carried different sophisticated weapons while chanting, “Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Jihad!”

“We were surprised to see such a large number of Fulani herdsmen coming down from the hills, all dressed in black and shouting the Jihad call,” she continued.

“Then we heard gunshots all over the place. They started shooting and advancing from the hills and valleys. The whole of our neighborhood was surrounded and destroyed.

“Not one house was left standing. Many people were trapped and could not escape, but by the grace of God, I was one of the few who managed to escape with my children.

“After escaping, I called my husband on his cell phone several times, but it rang and no one answered. I didn’t know at that time that they had killed my husband. I thought he had lost his phone while trying to escape because the whole village was deserted following the invasion.

“When I fled the town, I went to my husband’s hometown in Mararaban Pushit in Mangu Local Government Area. My husband and I were living in my hometown, where he worked. I was able to escape with the kids to Mararaban Pushit.

“After I fled, I called his phone several times, but all my calls went unanswered. I didn’t know they had killed my husband. The whole experience that day was traumatic.

“It was later that I got to know that our house had been burnt down and my husband had been killed. The incident happened between Saturday and Sunday. By Monday morning, they went around the village to burn houses, churches, food storage, and farmlands.

“While they were burning the houses, some soldiers appeared from the nearby sector, and we thought they would protect us, but instead, they were in collaboration with our killers as they watched our houses being burned and did nothing to stop them. But they did not burn their mosque or houses belonging to the Fulanis or Muslims. They only burned down churches and houses belonging to Christians.

“Their intention was to wipe out the entire village. The day I found out my husband had been killed, we kept searching for him for over 24 hours. His body was found the following day. Before then, I kept calling his phone, but there was no answer. His body was found trapped in a corn bush where he must have gone to hide, but they found him and killed him.

“They shot him in two places in the leg. They also shot him in the head and chest. Right now, I’m staying in Bokkos because even after I fled to Pushit, recently, they also attacked the community, and I became a victim again.

“In the Pushit attack, they killed my brother-in-law, who was taking care of us, and burned down his house. The whole of our community was burned to the ground. My husband died while I was breastfeeding our third child. Each time I look at him, I cry.

“Because these kids will never see their father again. And people who don’t know our story still mock us. We widows are living in hell. People mock us.

“Sometimes I have even contemplated going into prostitution to be able to take care of my children, but when I remember the stigma, I have to hold myself for the sake of my children.

“But I give God the glory since He still sustains and provides for us. When we get, we feed. When there’s nothing, I plead with Him. Even our farm, the Fulani people have destroyed it with their cattle. But I thank God for organizations like this. Sometimes, they’d call me and give me something.”