“We are not sure whose side the military is on. Their behavior raises serious suspicions of complicity.”
No kidding, really? The Nigerian government and military has been aiding and abetting the jihad in that country for years.
“Catholic priests raise alarm as herdsmen kill 50, shut 15 churches in Makurdi,” by Peter Duru, Vanguard, June 1, 2025:
The Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Makurdi Diocese, has raised the alarm over continued deadly attacks by armed herdsmen in Benue State, revealing that more than 50 people have been killed and 15 Catholic parishes have been forced to shut down in just one month.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, the Chairman of NCDPA in Makurdi Diocese, Revd. Fr. Joseph Beba, strongly condemned the wave of violence, describing it as a calculated and coordinated effort to wipe out Tiv communities. He accused security forces, particularly the military stationed in the affected areas, of complicity and inaction.
“Among those affected are Catholic priests, and this has led to the closure of 15 parishes in Makurdi Diocese alone,” Fr. Beba said, decrying what he described as the military’s silence and passivity while communities were being attacked.
The priests detailed a series of recent attacks, including the shooting of Revd. Fr. Solomon Atongo, the priest in charge of St. John’s Quasi Parish, Jimba. Fr. Atongo was reportedly shot just 500 meters from a military checkpoint at Tse Orbiam, with no response from the stationed personnel. The community itself was later attacked.
Other communities listed as victims of the violence include Tse Orbiam, Ahume, Jimba, Nagi-Camp, Aondoana, Yelewata, and Abegana — all located within the Makurdi Diocese. According to the priests, these assaults have resulted in numerous deaths, including women, children, and even a pregnant woman.
“These acts are inhumane, barbaric, and a gross violation of the sanctity and dignity of human life,” the priests stated. They further suggested that the attacks may be linked to Bishop Wilfred Anagbe’s recent testimonies in the U.S. and Europe about the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
“These attacks are a direct assault on the Bishop of Makurdi Diocese and the Catholic Church he represents. They appear coordinated and retaliatory,” they said, adding that the bishop’s home village of Aondoana was also attacked on May 25, with clergy and nuns fleeing into the bush for safety….
The priests lamented the growing sense of abandonment, noting that neither the federal nor state government had visited the victims or shown solidarity, even as communities were displaced and religious leaders attacked.
“We are not sure whose side the military is on. Their behavior raises serious suspicions of complicity,” they said, citing the increasingly unsafe Naka-Makurdi and Taraku-Naka roads as further proof of the deteriorating security situation….
Paul Burns says
Nobody cares about these poor folks, not even their own government. There was a saying, “the opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference”.
James Lincoln says
Paul Burns says,
“Nobody cares about these poor folks”
Certainly, nobody who has the power to make a difference.
somehistory says
By now, they should have the certainty of knowing that the military and the rest of the government, is in agreement with the ones carrying out the murderous attacks.
There is no question. The mozscummy thuggery is government-wide and they cheer on the ones carrying out the attacks.
abu taleb says
Where is the new Pope? Oops, he only mentioned about the Middle East and Ukraine, not Africa.
Sorry Africa, we have forgoten you.
James Lincoln says
Maybe I should write a “sternly worded letter” to Pope Leo XIV…