The Catholic Church has shut down more than 15 parishes under the Makurdi Diocese in Benue State after sustained violent attacks by suspected armed herders on host communities.
The alarming development was revealed on Sunday during a press briefing at the Catholic Cathedral in Makurdi by Rev. Fr Joseph Beba, Chairman of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Makurdi Diocese.
According to Fr Beba, the affected communities include Tse Orbiam, Ahume, Jimba, Nagi-Camp, Aondoana, Yelewata, and Abegana, which have witnessed severe and coordinated attacks over the last two weeks. These incidents have reportedly led to the deaths of over 50 people, including women and children.
“More than 15 parishes have been shut down because their host communities have been completely displaced. In places like Jimba, Mbalom Yelwata, and Aondoana, both priests and parishioners have fled,” he said.
Fr Beba alleged that the surge in violence, particularly in Gwer West Local Government Area, came after the Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Most Rev. Wilfred Anagbe, testified in the United States and Europe about the persecution of Christians in Benue and across Nigeria.
“These attacks are not random. They are a direct response to Bishop Anagbe’s international testimony on the systematic persecution of Christians. The Church is under siege,” he declared.
He also strongly criticized the Nigerian military for what he described as a failure to act, even when attacks occurred near their operational checkpoints.
“We are dismayed by the low energy and response from security forces. The attack on Rev. Fr Solomon Atongo on May 24, 2025, happened just 3km from Naka and less than 500m from an army checkpoint at Tse Orbiam. There was no intervention,” the Catholic priest said.
Fr Beba called on President Bola Tinubu and Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia to take decisive military action against the attackers, noting Governor Alia’s earlier statement that the perpetrators were non-Nigerians.
He also issued a rallying call to local youths, “The right to self-defence is inalienable. We call on our young people to be ready to defend their faith, their farmlands, and their way of life.”
