No fewer than 15 parishes in Makurdi Catholic Diocese of Benue State have been shut, following incessant attacks on communities within the diocese by suspected armed herders.
This was disclosed on Sunday by the Chairman of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association, Makurdi Diocese, Rev Fr Joseph Beba, while addressing journalists at the Catholic Cathedral, Makurdi.
The priest listed communities attacked in the past two weeks as Tse Orbiam, Ahume, Jimba, Nagi-Camp, Aondoana, Yelewata and Abegana, adding that over 50 people, including women and children, were killed.
“More than 15 parishes have been shut down because the host communities have been sacked by armed herders.
“For communities like Jiba, Mabalom Yelwata and Aondona, the parishioners and the priests are no longer there, all these are in Makurdi diocese,” he said.
The cleric alleged that the spike in attacks and killings over the past two weeks, particularly in Gwer West Local Government Area, was not unconnected to the Makurdi Catholic bishop’s testimony in the United States and Europe about the systematic persecution of Christians in Benue and Nigeria.
“These attacks are a direct attack on Bishop Wilfred Anagbe and the Catholic Church he represents.
“We believe they were coordinated in response to the bishop’s testimony in the United States and Europe on the systematic persecution of Christians in Benue and Nigeria,” he added.
The priest accused the military and other security operatives deployed in the state of not tackling the escalating insecurity, stressing that some of the attacks were carried out a few metres away from military checkpoints.
“We have observed with dismay the low energy displayed by our Nigerian Army troops stationed at some of these affected areas.
“We also regret to say that their inability to stop the attacks or go after the terrorists betray professionalism, and this speaks complicity.
“The attack and shooting of Rev Fr Solomon Atongo on May 24, 2025, took place 3km away from Naka, and less than 500m away from the army checkpoint at Tse Orbiam,” he said.
He called on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia to declare war on the armed herders, stating that the governor had already identified the killers as non-Nigerians.
The priest also called on youths “to be prepared to defend their faith, their farmlands and their way of life.
“The right to self-defence is an inalienable one for all citizens.”
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
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