Kill 20, Abduct Catholic Priest, Nuns, As Officials Accuse Army of Standing Down
By Olikita Ekani
(Makurdi) Fulani ethnic militia (FEM) gunned down more than 20 Christians Sunday, May 25, 2025, in the home village of outspoken Bishop Alfred Anagbe in Benue State, TruthNigeria has learned.
The merciless, attack happened after hundreds of armed mercenaries roared for more than 50 kilometers across Benue state unopposed by law enforcement until they reached the village of Aondona where they cut down “dozens of local people” according to an official letter from the Firm of S. T. Hon addressed to Nigeria’s Chief of Defense Staff.
The mercenaries speaking the dialect of the Fulani people killed more than 20 Christians and abducted a priest and several nuns according to Gwer-West County Chairman, Victor Torsar Ormin.
This attack comes just three days after an assassination attempt on the Gwer-West County Chairman and the shooting of Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo, Parish Priest of St. John Quasi Parish in Jimba. He is currently receiving treatment in Makurdi, while two of his companions were abducted along the Makurdi-Naka road on Friday, May 23, 2025.
Bishop Anagbe, known for his bold advocacy, hails from Aondoana, located just 4 kilometers south of Naka, Gwer-West’s headquarters. The Catholic Diocese of Makurdi—covering Guma, Makurdi, Gwer-East, and Gwer-West—is among the hardest hit by Fulani militia violence in Benue. All 15 wards in Gwer-West County (Local Government Area) are under occupation, according to the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BNSEMA).
Gwer-West, a fertile agricultural region, is nearly 100 percent Christian (92 percent Catholic), known for producing rice, yams, cassava, millet, and fish. It lies 54 km southwest of Makurdi and 249 km from Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
Bishop’s Global Advocacy Spurs Backlash
According to media reports, tensions in Benue escalated after Bishop Anagbe gave a striking testimony to a U.S. Congressional Committee March 12 and toured Europe in April, where he revealed systematic persecution of Christians in Nigeria. He accused the Nigerian government of failing to act against what he described as a violent plan to reduce the Christian population and end Christianity in the country.
Following his remarks, attacks in Gwer-West significantly intensified.
Gwer-West Chairman: “Over 20 Dead”
During a visit to Aondoana on Monday, May 26, Chairman Ormin, visibly emotional, confirmed more than 20 deaths and accused the military of failing to respond.
“For how long will I keep burying my people? I buried five just yesterday in Tse-Orbiam, only 3 km from an Army base. Soldiers say they can’t take orders from me—only from Abuja, and no mandate has been given to engage these terrorists,” he lamented.
Ekani Olikita is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
