Building Zion and Equipping the Persecuted Join to Stand Up Housing
By Ekani Olikita
Hope is replacing anguish in Yelewata, Benue State, after intervention by two US-based NGOs rebuilding homes destroyed by Fulani Ethnic militia (FEM).
The organizations, Building Zion (BZ) and Equipping the Persecuted (ETP), have so far reconstructed 35 housing units in the community, which was razed during coordinated overnight attacks on June 13 and 14, 2025.
Yelewata, an agrarian and predominantly Catholic community 47 miles North of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, exemplifies for many Nigeria’s Christian genocide.
On the night of June 13 and 14, 2025, no fewer than 270 Christians, including women and children, were brutally killed and more than 400 houses burned when armed Fulani Ethnic Militia invaded the community.
Residents said the attackers spoke Fulfulde and repeatedly chanted “Allahu Akbar” while carrying out the massacre, suggesting an ethno-religious dimension to the violence.
Missionaries Lead Rebuilding Effort
The Founder of Building Zion, Alex Barbir, in his mid-twenties, was a standout field-goal kicker at Liberty University before starting his meteoric career as a humanitarian missionary. Barbir said the intervention was purely humanitarian, driven by the scale of destruction and the trauma suffered by displaced residents. Documentary filmmaker Judd Saul, founder of Equipping the Persecuted, has been doing missionary work in Nigeria since 2011.
“We came here after seeing and hearing the suffering of the people of Yelewata,” Barbir told TruthNigeria during the dedication of the rebuilt homes on Saturday, January 31, 2026. “So far, we have rebuilt 35 housing units, including 15 completed by our partners, Equipping the Persecuted. The joy among the people is overwhelming”, he said
Barbir said the project was intended to restore dignity and stability to families who lost everything during the attacks.
Allegations Against Government
Barbir also accused Benue State Humanitarian agencies of corruption and mismanagement of funds meant for internally displaced persons.
“When I arrived, I approached the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) with a proposal to rebuild the Yelewata market, but they rejected it,” he alleged. “They later presented a proposal to build market shops for ₦300 million, which made no sense. The same market can be rebuilt for ₦50–60 million.”
He further questioned a state government plan to build 66 houses for ₦1 billion on the outskirts of Yelewata.
“With ₦1 billion, I can build 3,000 homes. Funds meant for persecuted Christians are being diverted. We need a government that genuinely cares for and defends its people,” Barbir told TruthNigeria.
Murder of Middle Belt Christians Ongoing
Barbir warned that attacks against Christian communities continue across the Middle Belt, particularly in Benue and Plateau states.
“These are not ISIS, Boko Haram, or ISWAP fighters,” he said. “They are armed Fulani Ethnic Militia who speak Fulfulde and chant ‘Allahu Akbar’ during every attack.”
He recounted a recent visit to Gwer West county (Local Government Area), where he said more than 90 percent of communities have been displaced.
“I saw a young man hacked to death simply for trying to return to his farm,” Barbir said.
Calling on the United States to intervene, he said Washington has the intelligence capacity to stop the violence.
“If the U.S. truly cares about Nigerian Christians, it should act decisively against these Fulani terrorists in the Middle Belt,” he added.
ETP Commits to Completing Project
Founder of Equipping the Persecuted, American missionary and filmmaker Judd Saul, reaffirmed his organization’s commitment to completing the Yelewata rebuilding project.
“I have released my counterpart funding, and I am committed to paying for the rest of the project,” Saul told TruthNigeria.
Cleric Blames Tinubu Government
Renowned Christian cleric Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, while dedicating the rebuilt 35 Housing Units in Yelewata to God on Saturday, accused the Nigerian government of complicity through silence, alleging internal sabotage within its administration.
“President Bola Tinubu cannot speak the truth about the persecution of Christians, because he has been captured by terror sponsors within his government,” Dachomo said. “The same forces that undermined former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 are now deeply entrenched in this Administration, he told TruthNigeria.”
He said attacks have intensified in the Middle Belt as Christians fleeing violence in the Northeast and Northwest seek refuge in the region.
“I thank Alex Barbir and his partners. This project sends a clear message to Fulani terrorists that they have failed to displace Christians from Yelewata,” Dachomo said.
Residents Express Gratitude
A Yelewata native based in the United States, Franc Utoo, a legal expert and Human Rights Activist, praised Alex Barbir, Founder of “Building Zion” and Judd Saul, Founder of “Equipping the Persecuted”, urging the Benue State Government to emulate their efforts.
“You have done what both the federal and state governments have failed to do,” Utoo said. “The Benue State Government should contribute its quota instead of relying solely on NGO funding with the efforts of Yelewata professionals.”
Commenting on the proposed ₦1 billion housing project, Utoo said he would reserve judgment.
“Let me give them the benefit of the doubt, until I see the quality of the buildings and materials,” he told TruthNigeria.
Speaking on behalf of the community, the Yelewata Traditional Ruler, Chief Julius Kumaga Joor, expressed deep appreciation to the foreign partners.
“This is unprecedented. For the first time, private individuals have come to our aid in such a massive way. You have restored hope and happiness to our people. May God bless and protect you”, he told TruthNigeria.
Ekani Olikita is a Conflict Reporter for TruthNigeria.
