The Makurdi Catholic Diocese has shut down more than 15 of its parishes following a fresh wave of deadly attacks on communities by suspected armed herders, in what Church leaders are describing as a calculated assault on Christianity in the region.
Reverend Father Joseph Beba, Chairman of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association in Makurdi, raised the alarm on Sunday during a press briefing at the Catholic Cathedral in the state capital.
He detailed the devastating toll the violence has had on both the church and affected communities, with scores killed and entire villages displaced.
“In just the past two weeks, over 50 lives have been lost — women, children, and the elderly among them — in relentless attacks on communities like Tse Orbiam, Ahume, Jimba, Nagi-Camp, Aondoana, Yelewata, and Abegana,” Fr. Beba told journalists.
He further alleged that the recent spike in attacks, particularly across Gwer West Local Government Area, could be linked to international testimonies delivered by the Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Most Rev. Wilfred Anagbe, who has been outspoken about the persecution of Christians in Benue State and Nigeria at large.
Fr. Beba accused security agencies, especially the military, of neglecting their duty, noting that some of the assaults happened disturbingly close to army checkpoints without any meaningful intervention.
“More than 15 parishes have been shut down because their host communities have been completely overrun,” he said. “Parishioners and priests in places like Jiba, Mabalom Yelwata, and Aondona have fled — these are no longer functioning parishes under Makurdi Diocese.”
A particularly disturbing incident cited by Fr. Beba involved the shooting of Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo on May 24, 2025.
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According to him, the attack took place just three kilometers from Naka town and less than 500 meters from a military checkpoint at Tse Orbiam.
Despite frantic calls for help, he said, there was no response from the stationed troops.
“The army’s silence and inaction in the face of these attacks raise serious questions about complicity. We cannot pretend anymore,” he stated grimly.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia — who also happens to be a Catholic priest — to declare war on the armed herders, especially as Governor Alia had earlier identified the attackers as non-Nigerians infiltrating the region.
The priest also sent a strong message to Benue’s youth, urging them to prepare to defend themselves and their communities: “The right to self-defence is fundamental. We cannot sit idle while our faith, farmlands, and way of life are destroyed.”
The Makurdi Diocese, one of the most vocal Catholic jurisdictions in Nigeria concerning the plight of Christian communities in the Middle Belt, now stands at a critical crossroads as it grapples with rising insecurity and a displaced flock.
As the violence continues, many are watching to see if authorities will take decisive action — or if the silence that has allowed so much destruction will persist.