Nigerian Government Watches Its Citizens Being Slaughtered – Bishop Anagbe
He recalls discussing the massacres of Christians in Nigeria with 'Aid to the Church in Need' in 2018: 'That alone created a certain awareness and corrected the narrative of our government at the time, namely that the crisis was caused by climate change or external influences. In reality, that was not true."
People are currently dying every day: "No reasonable government should remain silent and watch its citizens being slaughtered", Monsignor Anagbe said.
"We demand that the government finally does what is necessary to stop this killing."
The bishop says that both Christians and Muslims are being killed. "But it is not Christians who are killing Muslims. It is the same perpetrators who are killing liberal Muslims because they do not accept their ideology. Radical fundamentalist Muslims are killing other Muslims."
In Benue State, over 99 per cent of the 6.1 million inhabitants are Christian. The Catholic Church alone accounts for around three-quarters of Nigeria's population. "The attackers come from outside, kill people and occupy villages. The population now lives in refugee camps in their own country."
Many of his priests are severely traumatised, says Bishop Anagbe. In April 2018, two of his priests and 17 worshippers were shot dead during morning mass. Between 2018 and 2025, the bishop lost approximately 21 parishes in his diocese.
"If I told you I wasn't afraid, I wouldn't be telling the truth."
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