Bishop Anagbe at centre of US–Nigeria row over alleged Christian massacres

Bishop Anagbe at centre of US–Nigeria row over alleged Christian massacres

Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi has emerged as a central figure in a fraught dispute between the United States and Nigeria over allegations of mass killings of Christians in the country’s Middle Belt.

Anagbe told the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa on February 14, 2024, and again on March 12, 2025 — alongside Reverend Father Remigius Ihyula — that communities in Benue State and other parts of the Middle Belt have been subjected to what he described as “genocidal persecution.” The clerics told U.S. lawmakers that suspected jihadists have carried out “systematic massacres, kidnappings, church burnings and land seizures” against primarily Christian farming communities.

According to figures presented by the Catholic Diocese, more than 1,000 Christians were killed in a matter of months and over 160 churches destroyed, with whole villages and farmlands reportedly seized. Anagbe accused Nigerian authorities of a “conspiracy of silence,” alleging the state has turned a blind eye to violence in pursuit of an “Islamic agenda” that, he said, seeks to transform Nigeria into an Islamic state.

The bishops’ testimonies triggered a wave of concern and, according to reports, threats: Anagbe and Father Ihyula allegedly received multiple death threats after their appearances in Washington. Foreign embassies later warned the Bishop he could face arrest if he returned to Nigeria — a claim the Nigerian Foreign Ministry said it would investigate and denied being behind.

READ ALSO:

• Regina Daniels to Ned Nwoko: ‘Leave me alone, we were never married’
• Soludo re-elected as Anambra Governor, wins in landslide with 422,664 votes
• U.S. lawmaker warns Nigeria: Don’t test Trump’s resolve on Christian killings

Violence documented in 2025 deepened alarm. Between May 24 and 26, attackers allegedly struck Anagbe’s home village of Aondona, killing dozens (estimates range from at least 42 to more than 70) and displacing hundreds. In early June 2025, coordinated assaults across Gwer West and Apa local government areas near Makurdi — including Yelwata — were reported to have left more than 300 people dead, with many victims reportedly burned alive.

National and civil-society reactions

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) condemned the killings in a statement expressing “deep anguish of soul.” Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, president of the CBCN, described the attacks as “an affront to God” and a “stain on our shared humanity,” adding that the “relentless attacks on innocent and defenceless communities under the watch of civil authorities constitute a grave moral and constitutional failure.”

A study by Intersociety, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, supported parts of the bishops’ claims, asserting that armed groups and their allies occupy nearly 950 locations across mostly Christian south-eastern states — a situation the group said threatens some 40 per cent of communities in that region.

U.S. response and designation

On October 31, 2025, President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” in response to the bishops’ and other groups’ allegations of persecution. In a series of statements and a video message in early November, Trump condemned what he called the “killing of Christians” in Nigeria, described the situation as an “existential threat” to Christianity in the country, and warned of severe consequences if Nigerian authorities did not act.

Trump said he had instructed U.S. agencies to prepare for possible military action and warned of potential suspension of aid, insisting the United States “cannot stand by” while such atrocities occur. He called on members of the U.S. Congress, including Representative Riley Moore and House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, to investigate the claims and report back.

What the church and rights groups say

Church sources, human-rights advocates and the Catholic Diocese have highlighted the scale of killings, kidnappings and property destruction, urging both national and international action to halt what they describe as targeted attacks on Christian communities. They say the trend represents a breakdown of security and a failure of state protection in affected areas.

Government stance

The Nigerian government has consistently rejected allegations that the violence constitutes religious persecution, maintaining that the killings stem from complex factors — banditry, communal disputes and resource conflicts — and that authorities are working to restore security. The Foreign Ministry said it would investigate claims that officials were complicit in any threats or reprisals against clerics who testified abroad.

Bishop Anagbe at centre of US–Nigeria row over alleged Christian massacres