Priests from Jalingo and Wukari dioceses protested in Jalingo Thursday, condemning relentless attacks that have killed scores of Tiv Christians and displaced thousands.
Catholic priests, religious leaders, and faithful from the dioceses of Jalingo and Wukari flooded the streets of Taraba State’s capital Thursday in a powerful peaceful protest.
They demanded immediate government action to stop the wave of killings, kidnappings, and destruction targeting Christian farming communities, especially Tiv people in southern Taraba.
The demonstrators carried placards and chanted for peace as they marched.
They highlighted attacks concentrated in Takum, Donga, and Ussa local government areas—particularly Chanchanji Ward in Takum, where violence has raged fiercest.
Church leaders report that gunmen have killed more than 80 Christian farmers in just 90 days, destroyed over 200 churches and communities, and forced mass displacement.
Very Rev. Fr. James Yaro, Vicar Pastoral of the Catholic Diocese of Wukari, addressed journalists during the event.
He described the situation bluntly as “Christian genocide” unfolding in southern Taraba.
“Over 80 Christian farmers have died within 90 days,” he declared, “while more than 200 churches and Christian communities lie in ruins.”
He warned that the clergy may seek international intervention if authorities fail to act decisively.
The protest follows a brutal escalation since early January 2026.
Armed groups—often identified by survivors and church sources as Fulani militias—have raided villages, burned homes and places of worship, and killed civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.
At least 70 Tiv Christians perished in coordinated assaults on multiple communities in Chanchanji Ward alone during early February, according to International Christian Concern.
In one horrific incident, attackers killed Pastor Doose Mbathembe alongside dozens of others.
The violence has crippled daily life. Over 103 Catholic parishes have shut down due to insecurity, leaving worshippers without spiritual guidance and communities without safe gathering places.
Thousands of families have fled their homes, abandoning farms and livelihoods in a region already strained by farmer-herder tensions.
Church officials stress that the attacks go beyond sporadic clashes.
They point to patterns of targeted destruction: gunmen block roads to ambush farmers, graze cattle on ruined farmlands, and raze entire settlements.
Northern Christians Religious Leaders Assembly (NOCRELA) condemned the assaults as “continuous, horrific, brutal, and specifically targeted” against Tiv Christians and their churches.
Despite some security deployments by the Taraba State government, leaders say efforts fall short.
Killings continue unabated, and displaced people receive little relief.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Taraba expressed deep concern over deserted parishes and warned of further protests if protection does not improve.
Thursday’s solidarity walk marks a bold step by the Catholic Church to amplify victims’ cries.
Participants urged federal and state authorities to deploy sustained security, prosecute perpetrators, and restore calm so farmers can return safely.
As one priest summed up during the march, the time for silence has passed—action must follow words to halt the bloodshed and avert a deeper humanitarian crisis.
