Armed Herdsmen Destroy Benue Church in Coordinated Attack, Catholic Priests Decry ‘Genocidal Cleansing’

Armed Fulani herdsmen have carried out a brutal assault on St. Paul’s Parish, Aye-Twar (Agu Centre), in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, leaving a trail of destruction and panic in the community.

A local resident confirmed the incident and urged security forces and relevant authorities to take immediate steps to safeguard lives and property in the area.

In a strongly worded statement, the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests’ Association (NCDPA), Katsina-Ala Diocese, condemned the attack, labelling it a “genocidal assault” targeting both the Church and the wider community.

According to Rev. Fr. Samuel Fila, Chairman of the NCDPA, the armed group completely shut down the parish, setting fire to the rectory, destroying the church building, vandalizing the parish secretariat, and wrecking vehicles, household items, and other property.

The association pointed out that this violent episode is part of a series of sustained attacks on the Aye-Twar community. Prior hostilities had already compelled the parish priest to flee the area, leaving only minimal pastoral presence.

Now, with all 26 outstations under the control of the armed group, residents have abandoned the entire Agu Centre out of fear for their safety.

“This has moved beyond the usual farmer-herder clashes,” the priests stated. “What we are witnessing is a deliberate, well-orchestrated campaign of genocidal cleansing, territorial takeover, and the forceful occupation of ancestral lands,” Rev. Fr. Fila added.