A coalition of Catholic priests under the banner of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has condemned the recent killings in Benue State and called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the region.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the President-General of CBCN, Bishop Leonard Kawas, decried the killings of 43 people during attacks by gunmen on communities in Gwer West and Apa Local Government Areas of Benue State on Sunday.
Kawas also denounced reported threats against Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, the Catholic Bishop of the Makurdi Diocese, describing him as an “unflinching voice” for the people of Benue in the face of unrelenting violence.
He recalled that Bishop Anagbe and Rev. Fr. Remigius Ihyula had earlier testified before the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee in March, where they alleged the existence of a coordinated campaign targeting Christian farmers and communities, as well as an agenda of Islamisation in parts of Nigeria.
“We stand with Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe in his courageous stance against the atrocities committed against our people,” Kawas said, flanked by fellow clergymen.
“As shepherds of the flock, it is our duty to speak out against injustice and defend the dignity of human life.”
He described the growing insecurity as alarming, especially when compared to Nigeria’s past successes in peacekeeping missions across West Africa.
“The recent spate of insecurity in our nation is so worrisome that one would wonder if this is the same Nigeria that once silenced dreaded Liberian rebels and deployed exceptional peacekeepers across West Africa,” he said.
Kawas lamented the continued killings, mass displacement, and trauma inflicted on Benue communities, describing them as “a grave affront to humanity.”
“The government’s inaction is deafening, and it seems as though the lives of our people are of little importance. We cannot continue to watch as our communities are ravaged by violence and destruction,” he said.
The CBCN urged President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Benue State, stating that such a measure was necessary to restore order and bring relief to the affected communities.
“We urge the federal government to act swiftly, arrest the perpetrators, and end the bloodshed. The time for decisive action is now,” Kawas added.
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