The Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately declare a state of emergency in Benue State, following a fresh wave of deadly attacks allegedly carried out by armed herders.

 

During a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, the President-General of the CBCN, Bishop Leonard Kawas, decried the escalating violence in the state, where at least 43 people were killed in recent attacks on communities in Gwer West and Apa Local Government Areas.

 

Bishop Kawas also condemned reported threats against the Catholic Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Wilfred Anagbe, who has been an outspoken advocate for the protection of his people amid the violence.

 

“We stand with Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe in his courageous stance against the atrocities committed against our people,” Kawas said. “As shepherds of the flock, it is our duty to speak out against injustice and defend the dignity of human life.”

 

He lamented the deteriorating security situation across the country, questioning how a nation once hailed for its peacekeeping excellence across West Africa has descended into such levels of internal insecurity.

 

“The recent spate of insecurity in our nation is so worrisome that one would wonder if this is the same Nigeria that silenced the dreaded Liberian rebels and sent peacekeepers all over West Africa—earning global acclaim for their discipline and effectiveness,” he remarked.

 

Bishop Anagbe, alongside Rev. Fr. Remigius Ihyula, had earlier testified before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 12, where they raised international awareness about the targeted killings and forced displacement of Christian farming communities in Benue.

 

The CBCN urged the federal government to take decisive action to stop the bloodshed and restore peace to affected areas, insisting that the scale and persistence of the violence warrant emergency intervention.