A priest in the Catholic Diocese of Katsina-Ala in Benue State, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Versue has lamented the destruction of St. Paul’s Parish rectory in Ayetwar, alleging that it was set ablaze by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Monday night.
In a Facebook post, the visibly distressed priest said the church’s window glasses were smashed before the attackers overran the community, forcing residents to flee their ancestral homes.
Fr. Versue accused the Nigerian Army of rendering the community defenseless by disarming locals, which he claimed left them vulnerable to the armed assailants.
He further alleged that the invaders were “equipped with logistics and high-level intelligence provided by military personnel,” enabling them to kill unarmed civilians in their sleep.
Benue State continues to grapple with recurring violence linked to armed herdsmen, with rural communities often bearing the brunt of the attacks.
Fr. Versue said: St. Paul’s Parish Ayetwar rectory, which I sacrificed everything to build, was set ablaze by Fulani Jihadist yesterday.
“The Church window glasses were broken and the people successfully sacked from their ancestry homes.
“Kudos to the Nigerian army for successfully disarming the people and making them vulnerable to their attackers.
“So interesting to see Nigeria, the so-called giant of Africa with a dwarf military. No wonder,
“The cries of the people echo through the land… blood flowing like a river. Justice, integrity, dignity, humanity, lost in the fray; a nation’s future uncertain each passing day.”
The number of casualties from the attack has not yet been independently confirmed.
At the time of filing this report, military authorities has not issued an official response to the allegations.
