…Priests fume, seek global intervention
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Armed herders have burnt down St. Paul’s Parish, Aye-Twar (Agu Centre) in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.
The rampaging assailants have also forcefully seized and occupied 26 other branches of the church in the state.
The incident, which began on Sunday, August 10, 2025, has sparked outrage among Christians in the state, with Catholic priests crying out for help.
According to the priests, the attack was not only against the Church and the Diocese of Katsina-Ala in particular, “but a direct assault on government at all levels, security operatives, traditional institutions, and indeed all stakeholders.”
The Chairman of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests’ Association (NCDPA), Katsina-Ala Diocese, Rev. Fr. Samuel Fila, in a statement issued in Makurdi, explained that the violent attack started on August 10 and led to the severe destruction of several facilities at the Central Church in Agu Centre.
The statement read: “Preceding this assault were other sustained attacks on the Aye-Twar community which increased in intensity, forcing the Parish Priest to relocate to another parish while continuing with skeletal pastoral activities.
“The barbaric attack of August 11, 2025, has finally shut down all pastoral activities since all 26 outstations had long been occupied by the armed herdsmen. The malevolent attack left in its wake the desecration and destruction of the Parish Church, the Parish Secretariat, the Father’s House, household items, pastoral logistics, vehicles, and many other valuable items.
“At the moment, the entire Agu Centre community has been deserted by locals for fear of further attacks. It must be reiterated that Aye-Twar is only one out of countless communities currently under sustained invasion by dangerously armed terrorists.
“The NCDPA of Katsina-Ala Diocese vehemently denounces the alarming and brutal assaults carried out by the heavily armed herdsmen militia, especially on August 11, without any intervention from either the government or security agencies.”
Fr. Fila stressed that the security situation had long gone beyond the twisted historical narrative of “farmer-herder conflicts,” saying: “It has evolved into a premeditated, well-calculated, and coordinated effort aimed at genocidal cleansing, territorial domination, and occupation of lands that rightly belong to us.”
According to him, the marauders launch attacks from neighboring communities in Taraba State and retreat there afterward.
“The continuous attacks on Christian communities, albeit unprovoked, and in particular the unchecked violence of these terrorist herdsmen, have become a grave wound to our national conscience and existence,” Fila said.
“Silence, negligence, or inaction in the face of such atrocities amounts to complicity, and we unequivocally condemn such inaction by those charged with the protection of lives and property.”
Recalling the Church’s role in peacebuilding in Katsina-Ala, the priests called for urgent action by relevant authorities, including the government, law enforcement agencies, and representatives of Miyetti Allah.
They urged governments at all levels to “rebuild, repair, and pay restitution for the damages done to the peace-driven Parish of St. Paul’s, Aye-Twar (Agu Centre).”
The clerics emphasized the responsibility of the Benue State Government to guarantee the safety of the people, insisting that security agencies must live up to their mandate. They further demanded a joint investigation by the Benue and Taraba State governments to apprehend the masterminds of the attacks.
They also appealed to the international community to take note of the recurrent acts of religious persecution in Nigeria and assist in ensuring justice and the protection of human rights. The priests further urged the “establishment of permanent security protocols along key transportation routes, which is essential to assure citizens of their safety and to deter further violent incursions.”
They noted that the establishment of police and army posts at Aye-Twar was long overdue and called for the construction of access roads from Gbishe to Aye-Twar, Tor-Donga to Zaki-Biam, and Sankera to Chito and Vaase, to facilitate a faster security response.
The priests also expressed solidarity with the Bishop of Katsina-Ala Diocese, the Most Rev. Isaac Dugu, describing him as the “Chief Peacemaker” in Sankera, and urged him to remain resolute in his peace initiatives.
“We further assure the Christian community of St. Paul’s Parish, Aye-Twar, and the entire community of our fraternal solidarity and support, while praying that God may strengthen, comfort, and protect them.
“We enjoin the government to show more commitment and sincerity in tackling this menace that is rapidly dragging our nation down the drain. The security of lives and property of our citizens must not be sacrificed on the altar of political correctness, calculations, or passing ambitions.”
Unprovoked attacks by herdsmen have been on the increase in Benue and other states, especially around agrarian communities.
