More Groups Join Cry for Safety of Bishop Anagbe after Speaking Out against Christian Persecution in Nigeria

“We, the laity of Makurdi Diocese, stand as an unbreakable wall beside our Bishop. His words are our words. His fight is our fight,” the Laity Council members declare.

They add, “For too long, our people have endured the terror of Fulani killers and bandits while the government enables them by their inaction.”

“We will not cower. We will not be silent,” the lay leaders say, and continue, “We demand these invaders be driven from our land.”

They say that their war is “not a personal vendetta” but “a battle for the survival and freedom of our people.”

Members of the Laity Council assert that the Nigerian government is colluding with militants to see to it that attacks against Christians, especially farmers in Benue State which is served by Makurdi, continue unabated.

“We want to know the pact that the government has signed with the murderous Fulani herdsmen that has given them the impunity to possess arms, kill, pillage and occupy our lands,” the leaders of the Makurdi Catholic Diocesan Laity Council say.

Bishop Anagbe’s woes began on March 12 when he  made a passionate plea to the U.S to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) owing to increased Islamist attacks against Christians in the country. 

Addressing the U.S. House on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, the Nigerian Catholic Bishop testified against the atrocities perpetrated against Christians in Nigeria, the Middle Belt Region, and Benue State in particular. 

The courageous Bishop, who is suspected to be currently outside the country also detailed the persecution of Christians especially in the Northern and Central regions of Nigeria, where he said there is an agenda “to reduce and eventually eliminate the Christian identity” of the country that is Africa’s most populous nation.

On March 28, Fr. Remigius is said to have received classified information from an embassy in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria, warning that “there might be” an arrest warrant for the Bishop upon his return to Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Congressman representing New Jersey’s 4th District in the U.S., Christopher Henry Smith (Rep. Chris Smith) has condemned what he describes as “acts of intimidation” against the Nigerian Bishop.

In a Press Release on April 10, Smith weighed in on reports from “credible sources” about the plans by Nigerian government and “affiliated organizations” to detain Bishop Anagbe, when he returns to the country from his trips abroad, for giving testimonies about violence targeting Christians in his Episcopal See.

In the Press Release, Rep. Chris Smith also expressed his awareness of similar intimidation against Fr. Remigius.

He said, “Credible sources now indicate that Bishop Anagbe may face detention upon returning to Nigeria, and I also fear there are some who would seek to do him physical harm.”

In their statement on April 11, the leaders of the Makurdi Catholic Diocesan Laity Council said that they would not “stand idly by” while their shepherd is “hunted for speaking the truth and upholding righteousness.”

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“We vehemently denounce and totally condemn any scheme or plan to arrest, harass, intimidate, or harm Bishop Anagbe and Fr. Ihyula or any servant of God who dares to confront the powers of oppression with unvarnished truth,” members of the Laity Council said.

They also demanded that the Nigerian government guarantees the safety and liberty of Bishop Anagbe when he sets foot on Nigerian soil.

They further appealed to members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), all faith leaders, civil society organisations, and the international community “to stand as sentinels”, ensuring no evil befalls Bishop Anagbe and Fr. Ihyula.

The Catholic lay leaders cautioned authorities in Nigeria against silencing voices of conscience, noting that such moves invite divine wrath, embolden the wicked, and “deepen the festering wounds of a bleeding nation.”

“Silence in the face of oppression strengthens the oppressor and isolates the victim,” they said, and added, “When communities are attacked and authorities remain passive or dismissive, trust in the system breaks down.”

“True peace comes only when truth is told, victims are heard, perpetrators are held accountable, and the rule of law is upheld,” they said.

The sentiments of the Makurdi Catholic Diocesan Laity Council have been echoed by the members of the National Association of Catholic Lawyers (NACL) in Makurdi Diocese, who insist that they will pursue justice to the letter should any harm befall Bishop Anagbe.

“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 foretold or bullied into compromise. Justice through Christ,” the lawyers said at their April 11 press conference.

The Catholic lawyers found it “unfortunate” that Bishop Anagbe’s plea had triggered responses, negative reactions, and a backlash from Muslim leaders in the country who described the Bishop’s testimony as “unsubstantiated” and called for his punishment.

According to NACL, the attacks and calls for action against Bishop Anagbe are not only troubling but are also considered by the association as “unnecessary, excessive, and unwarranted.”

“Our association at Makurdi thus views these responses and attacks on the Bishop as unnecessary, inconceivable, unwarranted, and misplaced, considering the available statistics and facts presented by the Bishop before the international community,” the lawyers said.

They corroborated statics given by Bishop Anagbe, illustrating the intensity of Christian persecution in Nigeria.

Bishop Anagbe’s passionate plea detailed the persecution of Christians especially in the northern and central regions of Nigeria.

The Nigerian Catholic Bishop, who has been vocal about what he describes a genocide targeting Christians in Nigeria amid closure of Catholic Parishes across his Episcopal See and multiple displacements owing to heighted activities of Islamist Fulani herdsmen told the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee that designating Nigeria as a CPC will ensure that the Nigerian government accounts for the situation of Christians in the country. 

He also recounted the situation in northern Nigeria that is witnessing an increasing number of kidnappings of Catholic Priests for reasons other than ransom, as well as the forceful closure of all schools in some parts of the region, including Catholic institutions, for the whole period of Ramadan.

The Catholic lawyers in Makurdi say their shepherd’s assertion “is not in any way misleading.”

“It goes without saying that the Bishop has remained a vocal voice and a frontline against Islamic terrorism over the years. He has at different occasions, at different forums, called for this, made calls to save Christendom,” they say.

The members of the Knights of Columbus (KofC) in Makurdi Diocese have also expressed their unwavering support of Bishop Anagbe amid the threats the Nigerian Bishop is facing.

According to the Knights, the Diocese of Makurdi has for years borne the brunt of heinous attacks, which have resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent citizens, the destruction of homes, churches, schools, and farmlands, and the displacement of entire communities. 

“Our Bishop, Most Revd Wilfred Anagbe, has continued to speak out against these atrocities, giving voice to the voiceless, and calling for justice, peace, and the protection of human life and dignity,” the lawyers say, and add, “We commend his bravery, integrity, and pastoral concern, especially at a time when silence has become a safer option for many.”

Expressing their solidarity with Bishop Anagbe, they say, “Silencing the truth will not bring peace. Justice must prevail. The lives of our people matter, and the silence of the Church would amount to complicity. So, we stand united with our Bishop and all who work tirelessly for the peace, justice, and security of our land.”