The assault, described by local Catholic leaders as a “genocidal assault,” is part of a broader campaign of violence that has claimed thousands of Christian lives in 2025 alone, raising fears of a deliberate effort to eradicate Christianity from Nigeria.
Newsroom (15/08/2025 Gaudium Press) A wave of violence has swept through Nigeria’s Middle Belt, with armed Fulani herdsmen launching a devastating attack on St. Paul’s Parish in Aye-Twar (Agu Centre), Benue State, leaving the church in ruins and displacing an entire community. The assault, described by local Catholic leaders as a “genocidal assault,” is part of a broader campaign of violence that has claimed thousands of Christian lives in 2025 alone, raising fears of a deliberate effort to eradicate Christianity from Nigeria.
Father Benjamin Versue, a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Katsina-Ala, recounted the destruction of St. Paul’s Parish, a church he helped build. “The rectory, which I sacrificed everything to construct, was set ablaze by Fulani jihadists on Tuesday night,” Versue said on August 13. “The church windows were shattered, and the community was forcibly driven from their ancestral homes.” The attack, which began Monday night and continued into Tuesday, saw the rectory burned to ashes, the parish secretariat vandalized, and pastoral vehicles and household items destroyed.
Versue accused the Nigerian military of complicity, alleging that they disarmed local residents, leaving them defenseless, while providing “logistics and high-level intelligence” to the attackers. “It’s astonishing to see Nigeria, the so-called giant of Africa, with a dwarf military,” he said. “The cries of the people echo through the land as Fulani invaders, equipped by the military, slaughter unarmed civilians in their sleep, leaving a trail of blood flowing like a river.”
The Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests’ Association (NCDPA) of Katsina-Ala Diocese condemned the attack as a targeted assault on both the Church and the broader community. Father Samuel Fila, NCDPA chairman, reported that the armed group “completely shut down the parish,” destroying critical infrastructure and displacing residents.
A Broader Campaign of Violence
The assault on St. Paul’s Parish is part of a larger pattern of violence attributed to approximately 22 jihadist organizations operating in Nigeria, according to a report by the Catholic-inspired International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety). Released on August 10, 2025, the report documents the killing of 7,087 Christians in the first 220 days of 2025—an average of 32 deaths per day. Additionally, 7,899 Christians were abducted due to their faith during the same period.
Intersociety’s director, Emeka Umeagbalasi, warned that these attacks aim to eradicate Nigeria’s estimated 112 million Christians and 13 million followers of traditional religions, particularly in the South-East and South-South regions. “The primary objective is to wipe out Christianity from Nigeria by 2075,” Umeagbalasi said, drawing parallels to the 19th-century Fulani jihad that established the Sokoto Caliphate, a powerful Islamic state in northern Nigeria. Since 2009, Intersociety estimates that 185,009 Nigerians, including 125,009 Christians and 60,000 “liberal Muslims,” have been killed in such violence.
Allegations of Military Complicity
Critics, including Umeagbalasi, accuse the Nigerian military of enabling the violence. “What we have in Nigeria is a jihadist military,” he said, citing instances where the military allegedly participated in or failed to prevent attacks on Christian communities. A 2017 Amnesty International report highlighted an incident in Numan, Adamawa State, where military aircraft bombed Christian villagers, killing dozens, while ground forces targeted those fleeing. The military later claimed the victims were mistaken for Boko Haram militants.
A similar incident occurred on August 18, 2024, when soldiers stormed three Catholic parishes and other churches in Umunze, Anambra State, purportedly searching for a single gunman. Umeagbalasi questioned the military’s actions, noting that disrupting multiple church services to pursue one suspect was disproportionate and suspicious.
Franc Utoo, a former aide to ex-Governor Samuel Ortom now based in the United States, claimed the military has been infiltrated by Fulani elements who provide intelligence to jihadist herdsmen. “The military’s failure may be deliberate,” Utoo said.
Calls for Reform and Action
Local voices are demanding change. James Itoh, a Catholic resident of Benue State, called for the military to be replaced with community-based civil defense groups. “We cannot continue dealing with a corrupt and compromised military,” he said.
In May 2025, President Bola Tinubu urged the military to intensify efforts against insecurity, emphasizing its importance to Nigeria’s democracy and economic prosperity. “Your efforts are critical to restoring the trust and confidence of the people,” Tinubu said. However, with violence escalating and allegations of military complicity mounting, many Nigerians remain skeptical of the government’s ability to protect its citizens.
As the crisis in the Middle Belt deepens, the international community’s silence has drawn criticism. For the displaced residents of Aye-Twar and countless other communities, the destruction of their homes and churches is a stark reminder of a nation grappling with an uncertain future.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now
Related Images:
