Up to 200 Christians were reportedly killed by Islamic militants in a brutal attack in the central Nigerian state of Benue on Friday night.

Details of the atrocity has been reported by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Genocide Watch, and Amnesty Nigeria.

ACN spokesperson, John Pontifex, said the militants targeted displaced families, setting fire to their buildings as they lay asleep inside and macheting any who tried to flee.

The IDP families were in buildings repurposed as temporary accommodation when the militants stormed in, shouting “Allahu Akhbar” (“God is great”), before killing people at will.

Initial reports confirmed that at least 100 people died in the three-hour killing spree but later data collected by Diocese of Makurdi’s foundation for justice, development and peace (FJDP) estimated a full total of 200.

The death toll makes it the single-worst atrocity in a region where there has been a sudden upsurge in attacks amid increasing signs that a concerted militant assault is underway to force an entire community to leave the region.