Over 50 people have been killed and farming communities displaced following violent attacks by armed herdsmen in parts of Benue State, Nigeria.
The Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Makurdi Diocese, revealed that at least 15 Catholic parishes have been shut down after the unrest, severely affecting livelihoods and disrupting agriculture in the region.
Rev. Fr. Joseph Beba, Chairman of the NCDPA Makurdi Diocese, said the attacks were coordinated and brutal, targeting innocent civilians and Catholic clergy.
“Among those affected in the attacks were Catholic priests, and this has led to the shutdown of 15 parishes in Makurdi Diocese alone,” he said.
The violence has driven residents from productive farmlands in communities like Tse Orbiam, Ahume, Jimba, Aondoana, and Yelewata, paralysing agricultural activities. With roads rendered unsafe and widespread displacement, many farmers have been forced to abandon their farms during a critical planting and food production period.
The priests expressed concern that the attacks are not only religious and ethnic but also have serious implications for food security and rural development.
They called on the federal government to take immediate action to protect lives, farmlands, and displaced communities, urging compensation and rehabilitation for affected farmers and families.
