The Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Makurdi Diocese, has raised grave concerns over escalating attacks by armed herdsmen in Benue State, reporting over 50 deaths and the forced shutdown of 15 Catholic parishes in just one month.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Revd. Fr. Joseph Beba, NCDPA Chairman, condemned what he described as a “calculated attempt” to wipe out Tiv communities. He accused security forces, particularly the military, of inaction and possible complicity.
“Even priests are not spared. Fr. Solomon Atongo was shot just 500 meters from a military checkpoint, and there was no response,” he said.
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Communities such as Ahume, Jimba, Aondoana, Yelewata, and Nagi-Camp have been repeatedly attacked, with many residents, including clergy, fleeing for safety. The priests described the killings—including women, children, and a pregnant woman—as “barbaric” and possibly linked to Bishop Wilfred Anagbe’s recent testimonies abroad on Christian persecution in Nigeria.
On May 25, the bishop’s village of Aondoana was attacked. A day later, terrorists invaded Nagi-Camp, just five kilometers from an army base, again without military intervention. Another attack followed in Yelewata, Guma LGA, wiping out a family and nearly killing Fr. Jonathan Ukuma.
The priests decried the lack of government response or visits to victims and demanded action from Governor Hyacinth Alia and President Bola Tinubu. They called for decisive military intervention, support for displaced persons, and protection of ancestral lands.
“To remain silent is to die twice,” the clergy warned, urging citizens to defend their lives and lands within the bounds of the law.
