Nigerian journalist and social justice activist, Ogbu Charles, has reignited public debate over the persecution of Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt following a series of shocking revelations he shared on his X (formerly Twitter) page.
In a post titled “This is Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi,” Ogbu recounted the testimonies of Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, a Catholic Bishop from Benue State, who has repeatedly appeared before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa to speak about what he describes as “genocidal attacks” against Christians in the region.
This renewed attention comes shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump labelled Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and threatened to take military action under the guise of protecting Christians — a statement that has since drawn both support and condemnation globally.
According to Ogbu’s post, Bishop Anagbe first testified before the U.S. Congress on February 14, 2024, where he detailed widespread attacks on Christian farming communities in Benue State. He returned for another hearing on March 12, 2025, accompanied by Reverend Father Remigius Ihyula, to give further accounts of systematic violence allegedly carried out by ethnic Fulani jihadists.
The bishop told U.S. lawmakers that the killings involved massacres, kidnappings, destruction of churches, and land seizures, adding that over 1,000 Christians had been killed within months, more than 160 churches destroyed in the past decade, and vast farmlands seized and occupied by attackers — all while the Nigerian government remained silent.
He accused the government of maintaining a “conspiracy of silence” to enable what he described as an “Islamic agenda” aimed at Islamizing parts of the Middle Belt.
Ogbu further claimed that after Bishop Anagbe’s testimonies, he and Father Ihyula received multiple death threats, allegedly from government-linked sources and Islamist groups. In April 2025, several foreign embassies, including the U.S., reportedly warned of a potential arrest should the bishop return to Nigeria. The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied any involvement but promised to investigate.
Tragically, Ogbu recounted that on May 24–26, 2025, Fulani jihadists attacked Bishop Anagbe’s home village, Aondona, killing at least 42 people—with some reports placing the death toll at over 70—and displacing hundreds. Many described the attack as reprisal violence for his testimony before the U.S. Congress.
Between June 1 and 13, 2025, further coordinated assaults in Gwer West and Apa counties, including Yelwata near Makurdi, reportedly left over 300 men, women, and children dead, with many burned alive. Despite early warnings from locals, security agencies allegedly failed to act.
Ogbu also highlighted that during the Lenten/Holy Week period, over 92 Christians were massacred in Benue State. He accused the Nigerian government—led by a Muslim president and vice president—of failing to prosecute any perpetrators of these violent attacks.
In another shocking revelation, Ogbu claimed that after an attack in Jos, which left over 271 Christians dead, the leader of the Fulani jihadists held a press conference, broadcast by TVC News, where he issued conditions for ending the killings, including the removal of a top military commander in Plateau State. Ogbu alleged that the commander was later removed, suggesting government compliance with the group’s demands.
“There is Christian genocide going on in Nigeria, and the government is complicit,” Ogbu wrote. “The whataboutism of some Muslims being affected does not vitiate this fact because even those Muslim victims were killed by fellow Muslims, and there is no record of any Muslim community being targeted the way it has been happening in Southern Kaduna, Benue, and other parts of the Middle Belt.”
As of the time of posting, Ogbu’s statement had garnered over 99,000 reactions on X, sparking mixed responses from Nigerians. While some commended him for exposing human rights violations, others warned that such narratives could inflame religious tensions.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly denied accusations of religious bias, maintaining that ongoing insecurity is driven by criminal activities, banditry, and communal disputes rather than religious persecution.
However, with Trump’s recent classification of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and the renewed spotlight on Bishop Anagbe’s testimonies, pressure is mounting on Nigerian authorities to address allegations of systematic violence against Christian communities and ensure justice for all victims.
