Over 50 Dead: Catholic Clergy Demand End to Attacks in Benue

The Benue State chapter of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests’ Association (NCDPA) has condemned both the federal and Benue State governments for failing to stop escalating terrorist herdsmen attacks that have claimed over 50 lives in recent weeks.

During a press conference in Makurdi, the group, led by Rev. Fr. Joseph Terfa Beba, listed several coordinated assaults across communities in Gwer West and Guma LGAs, which included the shooting of three Catholic priests, killings of children and pregnant women, and destruction of entire villages.

They criticized Governor Hyacinth Alia, himself a Catholic priest, for his silence and perceived inaction, warning that continued passivity would be viewed as complicity. The priests called on President Bola Tinubu to declare total war on the terrorist elements, believed to be non-Nigerians, and rebuked the Nigerian Army for failing to act despite proximity to attack sites.

They noted that military checkpoints near affected communities provided no protection, with some attacks happening just meters away from troops. The clergy see these incidents as not just ethnic attacks but a targeted campaign against Christians, possibly in retaliation for Bishop Wilfred Anagbe’s international testimonies about persecution in Nigeria.

The priests urged security agencies to be professional, demanded compensation for victims, resettlement for the displaced, and encouraged communities to embrace self-defence within legal bounds. They emphasized that the Catholic Church’s humanitarian efforts remain unappreciated and called for government accountability and immediate action.