No fewer than 15 Catholic parishes under the Makurdi Diocese have been shut down following renewed waves of violent attacks on host communities by suspected armed herders, resulting in mass displacement and dozens of civilian deaths.
The alarming disclosure was made on Sunday by Rev. Fr Joseph Beba, Chairman of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Makurdi Diocese, during a press conference at the Catholic Cathedral in Makurdi.
Fr Beba said the affected communities, including Tse Orbiam, Ahume, Jimba, Nagi-Camp, Aondoana, Yelewata, and Abegana, have witnessed coordinated and deadly invasions in the last two weeks alone.
“More than 15 parishes have been shut down because their host communities have been completely displaced,” Fr Beba stated.“In places like Jimba, Mbalom Yelwata, and Aondoana, both priests and parishioners have fled for their lives. Over 50 people, including women and children, have been killed in this short period.”
Fr Beba alleged that the attacks escalated shortly after Most Rev. Wilfred Anagbe, Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, testified in the United States and Europe about the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, particularly in Benue State.
“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 said.
The clergy also condemned what he described as “low energy” and indifference from Nigerian security forces, even when incidents occurred close to military installations.
“The attack on Rev. Fr Solomon Atongo on May 24, 2025, took place just 3km from Naka and less than 500 metres from an army checkpoint at Tse Orbiam. There was no response. No intervention. We are dismayed,” Fr Beba lamented.
In a strong appeal to both federal and state authorities, Fr Beba called on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia to declare war on the armed herders and decisively end the violence.
He reminded the public of Governor Alia’s earlier comments identifying the attackers as non-Nigerians, adding that the Church could no longer watch in silence.
“The right to self-defence is inalienable. We call on our young people to be vigilant and ready to defend their faith, their farmlands, and their way of life,” he urged.
The Makurdi Diocese is one of the most affected in the North Central region, with multiple cases of church-targeted violence, community displacement, and attacks on clergy members recorded in recent years.
Benue State has been an epicentre of farmer-herder conflicts, which have escalated into wider ethno-religious tensions, displacement crises, and food insecurity. Analysts say the region’s vulnerability is worsened by porous borders, arms proliferation, and a weak security response.
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