‘Defend Your Faith, Farmlands And Way Of Life,’ Catholic Priests Urge Benue Youths Amid Frequent Attacks, Killings

The Nigerian Catholic Priests Association (NCPA), Makurdi Diocese, has issued a strong call to action, urging youths in Benue State to be vigilant and prepared to defend their faith, farmlands, and communities in the face of escalating violence.

Speaking on Sunday, the Chairman of the association, Rev. Fr Joseph Beba, condemned the wave of killings that have plagued several Benue communities in recent weeks.

He described the attacks as “inhumane, barbaric, and a gross violation of the sanctity and dignity of human life.”

Beba highlighted that more than 50 people, including women and children, have been killed in coordinated assaults on communities such as Tse Orbiam, Ahume, Jimba, Nagi-Camp, Aondoana, Yelewata, and Abegana within the last month, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

Among the victims was Rev. Fr Solomon Atongo, whose death the association also mourned.

“The right to self-defence is an inalienable one for all citizens,” the priests declared, emphasising the need for communities to resist being passive in the face of unrelenting violence.

They called on both the Federal and Benue State governments to act swiftly and decisively to halt the bloodshed and restore security in the region.

Rev. Fr Beba further appealed to Nigeria’s security forces, especially the military, to uphold professionalism and patriotism in the discharge of their duties, stressing that citizens' trust in the state hinges on the fair and effective protection of lives and property.

The cleric urged that the same level of efficiency, urgency, and vigilance often demonstrated during general elections should be directed toward safeguarding lives and communities in Benue State and across Nigeria.

"Government must be responsible and accountable and must respond by action and not only by mere press statements in the comfort of their conference rooms and offices.

“We remind both the federal and state governments of their constitutional mandate to safeguard the lives and dignity of all citizens.

“This is a sacred duty they swore to, and this must be pursued with urgency, sincerity, and transparency," he said.

He emphasised that both the federal and state governments have a constitutional duty to protect the lives and dignity of every citizen—a sacred responsibility they swore to uphold.

He called for this duty to be carried out with urgency, sincerity, and transparency.

He demanded immediate compensation for victims of violence and the safe return of displaced persons to their ancestral homes.

“We call on the youth to be prepared to defend their faith, their farmlands and their way of life. The right to self-defence is an inalienable one for all citizens,” he said.

Beba reaffirmed the association’s unwavering commitment to the truth of the gospel, stating that it would do everything legally possible to resist intimidation and attempts to silence voices speaking truth to power.

He noted that the Church in the Makurdi Diocese has consistently provided material and humanitarian aid to victims of these violent attacks, yet such efforts have not received adequate recognition.

Beba, however, reminded both state and federal governments of their core responsibilities—to ensure access to clean water, housing, education, freedom of worship, and protection from those who threaten peace and security.