Pope Leo XIV condemned what he called “a terrible massacre” in Nigeria’s Benue State, where more tha 200 Christians were “brutally killed” in the town of Yelwata by Fulani Islamic terrorists. Speaking ahead of the Angelus prayer at the Vatican, the pontiff expressed deep sorrow and solidarity with the victims, most of whom were internally displaced persons sheltered by a local Catholic mission.
The Pope prayed for “security, justice, and peace” in Nigeria, and made a special appeal for the “rural Christian communities of the Benue State who have been relentless victims of violence.” He reiterated his concern about the continuing wave of jihad targeting Christian populations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and urged the international community to take notice of the tragedy.
“I pray that security, justice and peace will prevail in Nigeria, a beloved country so affected by various forms of violence. And I pray especially for the rural Christian communities in Benue State, which have been unceasingly victimized by violence”
-Pope Leo XIV during… pic.twitter.com/JufwTtaDei
— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) June 15, 2025
Delivering his remarks to the faithful gathered at St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the plight of the displaced and suffering, saying he was particularly mindful of the “rural Christian communities in Benue that have been relentless victims of violence.”
The attack occurred on the night of June 13–14 in Yelwata, a border town between Benue and Nasarawa states. The Chairman of Guma Local Government Area, Maurice Orwough, confirmed that the assailants, Fulani Jihadis, struck the village at approximately 11:30 p.m. “They initially attempted to attack Daudu, but were repelled by the military. Sadly, they later regrouped and moved towards Yelwata, where over 100 armed terrorists opened fire on civilians,” Orwough stated.
https://twitter.com/ELLUP76/status/1933912806920749141
Fr Moses Aondover Iorapuu, vicar general pastoral and director of communications in the Diocese of Makurdi, described the attack as “a grim reminder of the daily struggles faced by many Benue citizens.” He noted that the victims were mostly Internally Displaced Persons who had already fled previous episodes of jihadist violence in the region. “The time has come. Those who can defend themselves should no longer look without. The African adage says that if you see your neighbour’s house on fire, you should quickly pour water on your roof,” Iorapuu told The Tablet, underlining the growing sentiment that Christians in Nigeria may have to take up self-defence.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
With a heart weighed down by sorrow and righteous anger, I join the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, in mourning the brutal massacre that took place in Benue State, Nigeria. Nearly 200 souls—many of them our own brothers and sisters in Christ,… pic.twitter.com/0wY6FldIFU
— Bishop J. Strickland (@BishStrickland) June 16, 2025
Benue State lies in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, a flashpoint region separating the largely Muslim north from the predominantly Christian south. Yelwata, where the massacre occurred, is a farming community just 7 kilometres north of the state capital, Makurdi. It is home to a 98 percent Christian population, 97 percent of whom are Catholic, alongside a small minority of other Christian denominations.
The Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Wilfred Anagbe, has called the violence not just a resource-based conflict but “a jihad, a war intended to exterminate Christianity in Nigeria.” In a February 14 address to the US Congress, Anagbe revealed that more than two million of Benue’s six million Christians have been “brutally driven from their land by militant Fulani and now live in Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps, in makeshift shanties that are unfit for animals, let alone human beings.”
Another wave of heartbreaking killings in Benue 💔
How many more lives must be lost before real action is taken?
We can't keep condemning violence and then moving on.
Don’t wait until it happens close to home or to someone you know — speak out now.
To our leaders: governance is… pic.twitter.com/mBpWvjeotG— Ahmed Musa (MON) (OON) 🎖️🎖️ (@Ahmedmusa718) June 16, 2025
Between Friday and Saturday, heavily armed jihadists stormed Yelwata, setting homes ablaze and slaughtering the inhabitants. Many of those killed were burned alive. The attackers reportedly overwhelmed a small detachment of four soldiers posted in the area.
Pope’s prayers and calls for peace echo a deepening global concern over the fate of Nigeria’s Christian communities, who continue to suffer repeated waves of jihad with little accountability or effective protection.
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