A Nigeria Church Cries Out as Over 600 Christians Slaughtered in Ongoing Fulani Militia Attacks.

By Lawrence Zongo

The escalating violence against Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt has reached a terrifying crescendo, as the leadership of the NKST Church has raised the alarm over fresh waves of killings by Fulani militias, particularly in Benue State. In a deeply emotional press conference held at the NKST Church Headquarters in Mkar-Gboko, the Church President, Rev. Ambassador Nendaga Asôngo Adure JP, revealed that over 600 people have been killed since January 2025, including more than 300 in a single attack on Easter Friday.

Between Easter Friday and the date of the press briefing, the Church lost over 100 of its members, including Rev. Benjamin Teryima Iorngaghem and his wife, who were shot dead in their residence. Many pastors and their families have been forced to flee their congregations, and numerous churches have been closed due to the violence.

Describing Nigeria as a nation in distress, Rev. Adure painted a grim picture of insecurity, economic hardship, and social disintegration across the country. He noted that Benue, once known for its rich agriculture, is now a land of mass graves, hunger, and despair. The humanitarian crisis is severe, with over 1.5 million people displaced, including 400,000 NKST Church members now scattered in makeshift IDP camps or dependent on struggling relatives.

The NKST Church’s humanitarian department has mobilized emergency food relief to 34 districts across 204 local congregations, but the need far outstrips available resources. More than 247 organized NKST churches have been attacked or shut down. Church leaders and members have been kidnapped, tortured, or killed in what the Church sees as a targeted campaign against Christian communities.

Rev. Adure issued a strong call to the Federal Government, urging the declaration of a State of Emergency on security in Benue State, along with military mobilization to halt the attacks. He called for a comprehensive compensation and resettlement plan for displaced families, including rebuilding destroyed churches, schools, and health centers. The protection of religious leaders and places of worship must be prioritized, he said, while real community dialogue involving traditional rulers, civil society, and religious leaders must begin to heal the wounds.

“We cannot and must not hide the identity of these Fulani herdsmen,” he said, warning against normalizing the ongoing bloodshed. “Our land is soaked in the blood of the innocent, and history will judge us by what we choose to do now.”

Rev. Adure also used the moment to express the Church’s solidarity with the global Catholic community over the reported death of Pope Francis, praying for God’s comfort and peace for the Catholic faithful worldwide.

As Benue bleeds, the NKST Church’s cry is clear: the time for action is now. The survival of entire communities, the preservation of faith, and the moral soul of Nigeria depend on it.