From Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Members of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association, NCDPA, Makurdi Diocese, has condemned the gruesome attack on their brothers and sisters including Reverend Father, Solomon Atongo, the Priest-in-charge of St John Quasi Parish Jimba, as well as the coordinated violence unleashed on Orbiam,Ahume, Jimba, Nagi- camp,Aondoana,Yelewata and Abagena communities where 50 people have been confirmed dead.
The priests, who made the condemnation during a press conference addressed by its Chairman, Reverend Father Joseph Beba and Secretary, Bartholomew Ishorkua, yesterday in Makurdi, described the killings as inhumane, barbaric and a gross violation of the sanctity and dignity of human life.
NCDPA called on their brother the governor of Benue State, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia to use the overwhelming mandate he received from the masses and stop the ethnic cleansing of Tiv people by terrorist herdsmen.
They said failure to be decisive in coordinating and directly confronting these terrorists and their masterminders to bring to an end, the persistent bloodshed and injustice on weak and defenseless masses in villages, would be seen as indifference or insensitivity, describing silence as to die twice.
The priests, who described Governor Alia’s victory as their victory, and his failure their failure, called on President Bola Tinubu to declare total war against the terrorists, who Alia had identified as non-Nigerians, but have besieged Benue and Nigeria to undermine its integrity.
The association, equally observed with dismay, the low energy displayed by the army stationed at some of these affected areas, lamenting that their inability to stop the attacks or go after the terrorists, betrays professionalism and this speaks complicity.
They argued that the attack and shooting of Reverend Father Atongo on May 24 took place three kilometers away from Naka, and less than 500meters away from the army check point at Tse Orbiam, with another attack on the community without any help or intervention from the army despite several cries for help from the villagers, insisting that the attacks are a direct attack on the Catholic Bishop of Makurdi, Most Reverend Wilfred Anagbe and the Catholic Church which he represents.
“We believe they were coordinated in response to the bishop’s testimony in the USA and Europe on the systematic persecution of Christians in Benue and Nigeria.
“This is a proof beyond doubt as Ahume and Jimba communities were attacked the following day, May 25, then later in the evening, Aondoana village, the home town of the bishop, was invaded”, the statement added.
They said the Priest-in-charge of the mission at Aondoana, Reverend Father Peter Shima and the Claretian Sisters had to run into the bush for safety and they are yet to recover from the trauma, adding that many people, including a two-year-old and a pregnant woman were gruesomely murdered.
The priests said the attacks continued on May 26 at Nagi-Camp just five kilometers away from a Nigerian Army base in Agagbe, with similar
devastating attacks the same day on Yelewata community in Guma by these same Fulani herders, resulting in the death of three members of one family with several others injured and displaced, including the Priest-in-charge of the Mission, Reverend Father Jonathan Ukuma, bringing the total to three in a roll of Catholic priests in Makurdi Diocese who had to escape assassination attempts by these Fulani herdsmen in just three days.
They recalled that apart from the displacement of Ayar-Mbalom community in Gwer East Local Government on April 29 which saw the Priest-in-charge, Reverend Father Felix Nyinya running for his life, the priest blamed either the state or federal government for taking no decisive intervention.
According to members of the association, despite the scale of violence, death and displacement of people from their ancestral homes, no arrest has been made, blaming the governor and government for not visiting the victims to offer hope and lamented that not even the Catholic Bishop whose village and priests were attacked and shot by these marauders has been visited.
The priests, who viewed such attitude with grave suspicion, act of complicity and abandonment, urged security agencies, especially the military to be consciously and deliberately professional and patriotic in the discharge of their duties across Nigeria.
They advised that the same level of efficiency, swiftness and vigilance that the army often displays during the general elections must be applied to protecting lives and communities in Benue and Nigeria.
They also advised that government must be responsible and accountable, and must respond by action and not only by mere press statements in the comfort of their conference rooms and offices,
reminding the federal and state governments of their constitutional mandate to safeguard the lives and dignity of all citizens, as it remains the sacred duty they swore to, and this must be pursued with urgency, sincerity and transparency.
The priests also requested immediate compensation for victims of this violence and the return of those displaced to their ancestral homes, adding that the church would remain firmly committed to the truth of the gospel and will do everything possible within the ambit of the law to resist any form of intimidation and threat to silence those speaking truth to power.
NCDPA called on youths to be prepared to defend their faith, their farmlands and their way of life as the right to self defence is an inalienable one for all citizens, urging the faithful to remain steadfast in prayer, courageous in truth and unwavering in hope.
