News Editor
From Dooshima Terkura Makurdi
The National Association of Catholic Lawyers of Nigeria (NACL) Makurdi Diocese, has expressed strong support for the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Most Rev Wilfred Anagbe and one of his priests, Rev Fr. Remigius Ihyula for speaking the truth concerning the killings and atrocities against Christians in Nigeria and farmers Benue state in particular.
The lawyers also condemned calls from different quarters suggesting that the Bishop be arrested and prosecuted for daring to speak out.
The lawyers who spoke during a press conference in Makurdi on Friday, were reacting to “certain uncomplimentary and uninformed statements against Bishop Anagbe regarding his testimonies before the United States House on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa on 12 March, 2025.”
The association’s President, Barr Polycarp Aande said information available to them show that the Bishop anchored his plea on the plight of Christians in Nigeria, their increasing persecution which has remained unabated and called on the US and UK to re-designate Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC). Recall that Nigeria had borne the status in the past.
They said “His passionate plea details the persecutions of Christians especially in northern and central regions of Nigeria, where he says there is an agenda to “reduce and eventually eliminate the Christian identity” of the country.”
In their submission, “It is unfortunate that the Bishop’s plea has triggered responses, reactions and back lash from key government figures, including the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“Prominent among those embittered by the plea of the Bishop is the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), who have accused the Bishop of spreading “Islamophobic tropes” and called for his interrogation for the alleged hate speech, while Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), has described the Bishop’s remarks as misleading and dangerous, accusing him of making unsubstantiated allegations regarding the persecution of Christians in Benue State.”
The lawyers also noted that the government in defence, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described Nigeria as a “beacon of religious tolerance and coexistence” and further said, the recent testimonies of the Bishop amount to pitching Christians against Muslims.”
They said the attacks and calls for action against the Bishop are not only troubling but unnecessary, unwarranted, ill-conceived, and misplaced.
They re-echoed that between the period 2018 to 2024, Nigeria has lost about 15 Parishes, 124 Priests kidnapped, some killed, and others regained freedom but at very high cost, while many churches have been destroyed.
While also noting that between October, 2019 and September 2023 terrorist groups have killed 55,910 people abducted 21,000 others in Nigeria, Aande said the appeal by the Bishop would not have come at a time better than now, “his testimony is apt, true, cogent and compelling. His assertion is not in anyway, misleading, misinformed or amounting to hate speech.
“We call on Christians and well- meaning Nigerians all over the world to rise in defence and support of the Bishop, and to also defend the Christian faith.
While expressing the association’s resolve to do everything necessary within the ambit of the law to resist any form of intimidation and threats to the life of the Bishop, they therefore called on the Nigerian government, both Federal and States, all relevant authorities, to as a matter of urgency prioritize and re-double their efforts in the fight against insecurity and herdsmen invasion.
“The armed forces and other security agencies must not hesitate to handle insecurity with vigor, in order to restore stability back to Nigeria.
“The Association is watching and monitoring closely as events unfold and shall not hesitate to invoke any lawful means to ensure that the Bishop is not kowtowed or bullied into compromise.”
