Benue Leaders Back US intervention if Christian killings persist
By Ekani Olikita
Traditional, religious and political leaders in Benue State have expressed strong approval of United States President Donald Trump’s re-designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over the continued persecution and killings of Christians by Islamic terrorists.
They also support Trump’s warning of possible U.S. military intervention to eliminate terrorist groups behind the ongoing genocide if the killings persist.
Trump’s CPC Designation and Warning of Military Action
On Friday, October 31, 2025, President Donald Trump announced Nigeria’s re-designation as a Country of Particular Concern, citing that “Christianity is facing an existential threat.” He warned that the United States would not hesitate to carry out military operations against Islamic terrorists if the attacks on Christians continue.
A day later, on November 1, Trump reaffirmed his position, declaring that the U.S. would “send troops guns-ablazing” into Nigeria to end what he called a Christian genocide, should the Nigerian government fail to act.
Benue Leaders Applaud Trump’s Decisions
Leaders from Benue’s traditional councils, Christian bodies, and political circles expressed happiness and relief, describing Trump’s move as “divine intervention” for Nigeria’s long-suffering Christian communities.
They commended Trump’s plan to confront the Fulani Ethnic Militia (FEM), Boko Haram, Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other Islamist terror networks responsible for killings, destruction of villages, and displacement of millions in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
Chief Daniel Abomtse, Monarch of Gwer-West — one of the worst-hit areas in Benue, told TruthNigeria, that Trump’s decision is a “welcome development” for communities abandoned by their own government.
“Gwer-West has suffered ethnic and religious cleansing for 14 years by Muslim Fulani militias who chant ‘Allahu Akbar’ as they attack our people,” he said. “Out of 15 council wards, all are under terrorist occupation except Naka, our headquarters and Agagbe village. Our government has failed to protect us, so we wholeheartedly welcome Trump’s decision.”
Catholic Leaders Applaud US Move
Very Reverend Fr. Emmanuel Ejeh, Coordinator of the Foundation for Justice, Development and Peace (FJDP) in the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, also hailed Trump’s stand.
“Trump’s decision is right and timely. The Nigerian government has treated perpetrators of Christian genocide with levity, allowing thousands to be killed and churches destroyed. We welcome Trump’s resolve to end these killings,” he told TruthNigeria.
Sankera Communities Cry for Help
In the northeast of Benue (Sankera), Hon. Clement Kav, Chairman of Logo Local Government Area (county), described Trump’s announcement as “long overdue,” saying Sankera zone — comprising Logo, Katsina-Ala, and Ukum — has become uninhabitable due to incessant Fulani attacks.
“The killing of Christians by Fulani jihadists is unbearable. No place is safe in Sankera. Just recently, four people were buried in Ayilamo after another attack. We need international intervention, and we thank God that President Trump has heard our cry,” Kav said.
Diaspora Voices: ‘A Victory for the Persecuted’
Franc Utoo, an Oklahoma-based lawyer and native of Yelewata (one of Benue’s Epicenters of Christian Genocide), described Trump’s action as a “victory for persecuted Christians and other victims of Islamic terrorism.
“President Trump recognizes what many leaders have failed to confront with honesty and courage,” he said. “The genocide unfolding in Nigeria’s Middle Belt is not ‘climate change,’ not ‘farmer-herder clashes,’ not even banditry — it is exactly what Trump called it: Christianity facing an existential threat.”
Utoo said Trump’s declaration shatters “the veil of denial” that has protected Fulani terrorists and other jihadists.
“For years, cries for help have echoed from burnt villages and grieving communities across Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, and Nasarawa. The world ignored them — but President Trump listened. He heard the petitions of the persecuted and the prayers of the faithful,” he said.
“When Trump declared that ‘the United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria,’ he spoke not only as a national leader but as a defender of humanity’s conscience. That statement renews hope that justice will no longer be silenced by politics or convenience.”
“We welcome this intervention wholeheartedly, trusting that it marks a new dawn for countless innocent lives in Nigeria. Thank you, President Trump, for standing boldly with truth, justice, and the persecuted,” Utoo concluded.
Benue and the Middle Belt: Nigeria’s Epicenter of Christian Persecution
Benue State, located in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, is an agrarian state of over 4.3 million people, predominantly Christian (99 percent) and mostly Catholic (98 percent). Known as the “Food Basket of the Nation,” Benue produces rice, yam, cassava, maize, beans, and fruits in large quantities.
Yet, the state has been devastated by waves of jihadist violence. For more than a decade, Fulani militias and allied Islamist groups have attacked hundreds of villages, killing thousands and displacing millions.
According to the Organization for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA), Fulani Ethnic Militias (FEM) have been responsible for over 55,000 deaths in the last four years across Nigeria’s Middle Belt, with Benue suffering one of the highest casualty rates.
Entire communities in Gwer-West, Logo, Guma, Agatu and parts of Makurdi and Kwande have been overrun, forcing residents into camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Churches, schools and farmlands have been destroyed, while the federal government has largely failed to prosecute the perpetrators.
Trump’s Decision Rekindles Hope
Across Benue and the Middle Belt, Trump’s firm stance has rekindled hope among Christian victims who have long accused the Nigerian government of complicity or negligence. Many believe that U.S. involvement — whether through sanctions, diplomatic pressure, or direct intervention — could finally bring global attention and an end to what they call a “slow-motion genocide.”
The designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern carries serious implications under the U.S. International Religious Freedom Act. It allows Washington to impose sanctions, restrict military aid, or, in extreme cases, authorize targeted actions against those responsible for religious persecution.
For many in Benue, Trump’s declaration represents not just policy — but deliverance.
As Chief Abomtse summed it up, “We have suffered enough. If our own leaders cannot protect us, let someone who values human life and freedom step in.”
From the plains of Gwer-West to the torched communities of Logo, the message from Benue’s people is unanimous: “Enough of the killings. If that’s what it takes to save lives, let America help.
Ekani Olikita, Conflict Reporter, TruthNigeria.
