Nigeria’s bishops demand end to jihadi violence after 100 die in fresh attacks
Catholic bishops in Nigeria have once again strongly condemned the persistent attacks and killings of Christians across the country, stating that there is “no justification for the continuous bloodletting.”
This renewed outcry follows a series of deadly assaults in Benue State, where at least 100 people have been killed. On June 1, armed groups, believed to be jihadist Fulani herdsmen, attacked communities in Gwer West and Apa counties, resulting in 43 deaths. Earlier assaults in Gwer villages had already claimed 42 lives.
In neighboring Plateau State, nearly 40 individuals were killed between June 1 and 2. Prior to that, between May 24 and 25, Fulani herdsmen reportedly massacred over 50 civilians—most of them Christians—in the farming communities of Munga Lelau and Munga Dasso in Taraba State’s Karim-Lamido county.
During the Easter Triduum (April 18–20), over 179 Christians were killed in separate attacks across Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.
Genocide Watch reports that more than 45,000 Christians were killed between 2009 and March 2022, alongside around 30,000 moderate Muslims. The attacks have displaced thousands of people.
According to Intersociety, a Catholic-inspired human rights organization, Fulani herdsmen have displaced over 950 Christian communities in Nigeria’s Southeast, often taking over the abandoned areas.
Christian persecution has plagued Africa’s most populous nation since 2009. Open Doors, a Christian watchdog group, revealed that 3,100 Christians were killed in Nigeria in 2024 alone, with over 2,000 kidnapped.
In a recent statement, Nigeria’s Catholic bishops denounced the ongoing violence:
“There is no justification whatsoever for the continuous bloodletting that has become the daily reality of many in Benue State and across Nigeria. The relentless attacks on innocent and defenseless communities under the watch of civil authorities constitute a grave moral and constitutional failure. Hence, this carnage must end.”
While acknowledging the efforts of the Benue State Government in providing infrastructure and paying civil servants, the bishops emphasized that such achievements are meaningless if lives are not protected:
“No matter how well a government pays salaries or builds roads, its failure to protect human lives renders its achievements hollow. The sanctity of human life is supreme. It is sacred. It is inviolable. Any government that fails to prioritize the safety and protection of its citizens and their property abdicates its fundamental responsibility and moral legitimacy.”
Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja noted in comments to Crux that Christian communities continue to grow despite these atrocities.
“The spate of killings, kidnappings, and destruction of church personnel and facilities in Nigeria is a continuation of a situation Nigerians have had to deal with for many years,” he said.
He emphasized that northern Christian communities, particularly in Plateau State, remain under severe threat.
“The Middle Belt is a hotbed of violence, while Boko Haram continues its brutal campaign against Christians in the Northeast.”
The archbishop pointed to poor leadership and widespread poverty as contributing factors to the crisis.
Emeka Umeagbalasi, director of Intersociety, alleged that the killings are part of a broader genocidal campaign to replace Christian populations with Muslims—a movement he claims is backed by the government. In an interview with International Christian Concern, he accused the Nigerian military of being infiltrated by jihadists, especially during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, himself a Fulani.
The bishops lamented:
“Every single death in such circumstances is a national tragedy and a scandal against our common humanity.”
They called on federal and state governments to take “immediate, firm, and sustained action” to protect lives and restore hope.
Compounding the human tragedy, Nigeria also experienced its most devastating flooding in 60 years. In Niger State, over 150 people were killed as floodwaters swept away homes and communities.
Bishop Martin Igwemezie Uzoukwu of Minna remarked that entire communities were destroyed and lives upended:
“Be assured of our prayers and support as we work together to rebuild and restore hope to our people.”