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Tragedy Strikes Benue: Pastor and Christians Fall Victim to Violent Attack
In a devastating incident on Monday, the community of Anwule Oglewu in Benue State, Nigeria, experienced a brutal assault that left at least 10 Christians dead, including a local Pentecostal pastor. The attack, reportedly carried out by Fulani herdsmen, also resulted in the destruction of a Catholic Church and numerous homes, according to local residents.
The violent episode claimed the life of Rev. Simon Nbach from Flaming Fire Ministry, alongside others who were present as farmers worked their fields. “The pastor’s corpse has been found, alongside two other corpses of two other Christians, Adoya Ejigai, and Ejeh Loko,” local resident Casmir Eigege shared with Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
Witnesses like Ojay Ojonya, who lost family members in the attack, expressed deep sorrow and called for divine intervention. “My uncle and my cousin are victims of the invasion and killing by the armed Fulani herdsmen in Anwule community of Ohimini Local Church Area of Benue State,” Ojonya lamented.
Paul Vershima, another area resident, confirmed that the violence persisted until late Tuesday, resulting in fatalities and leaving several people unaccounted for. “During the attack, the herdsmen unleashed widespread violence on Christians. The herdsmen set ablaze many houses, including a Catholic Church worship building,” Vershima reported.
Context of the Conflict
The Fulani herdsmen are part of a vast ethnic group across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim, with diverse clans. While not all hold extremist views, some adhere to radical ideologies similar to those of Boko Haram and ISWAP, as noted by the UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) in a 2020 report.
Christian leaders in Nigeria have indicated that these attacks may be motivated by attempts to seize land and impose Islamic beliefs, especially as environmental challenges make sustaining herds difficult. The country remains perilous for Christians, with Nigeria ranking seventh on the 2025 World Watch List of countries where Christians face extreme challenges, as reported by Open Doors.
The report reveals that Nigeria accounted for 69 percent of Christian deaths globally within the reporting period. The North-Central region, where Christians are more prevalent compared to the North-East and North-West, has seen numerous attacks by extremist Fulani militias. Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to target Christian communities with violent raids and abductions, exacerbating the crisis.
Further compounding the issue, violence has spread to southern regions, with the emergence of a new jihadist group, Lakurawa, in the northwest, which aligns with Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents from Mali. The situation remains dire, demanding urgent attention and intervention.
© 2025 Christian Daily International-Morning Star News
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
