Nearly 200 Christians were brutally massacred in their sleep as Islamic militants shouting “Allahu Akbar” conducted a deadly overnight raid on a displaced persons camp in Nigeria’s Benue State.
At a Glance
- Islamic Fulani militants killed over 200 Christians in Yelewata, Benue state on June 13, 2025
- Attackers shouted “Allahu Akbar” while setting fire to buildings and attacking with machetes
- The victims were internally displaced families seeking shelter after previous attacks
- Father Ukuma Jonathan Angbianbee narrowly escaped and witnessed the massacre
- Pope Leo XIV condemned the attack amid growing concerns about Christian persecution in Nigeria
Deadliest Massacre Yet Targets Displaced Christians
What officials are describing as the “worst killing spree” in Nigeria’s troubled Benue State has claimed the lives of more than 200 Christians. The June 13 attack targeted internally displaced families seeking refuge in Yelewata after being driven from their homes by previous violence. Initial reports indicated 100 casualties, but as recovery efforts continued, the Diocese of Makurdi Foundation for Justice, Development, and Peace confirmed the death toll had risen to 200, making it the deadliest atrocity in the region’s recent history.
The militants specifically targeted St. Joseph’s Church before being temporarily repelled by local law enforcement, only to redirect their assault to the nearby market square where approximately 500 people were sleeping in shelters. Amnesty International Nigeria reported that many families were locked inside their homes before the structures were set ablaze, leaving victims with no escape route. The systematic nature of the attack has raised concerns about a coordinated campaign to eliminate Christian presence in the region.
Eyewitness Accounts Reveal Horror of Attack
Father Ukuma Jonathan Angbianbee, who witnessed the massacre and narrowly escaped with his life, provided a harrowing account of the violence. “What I saw was truly gruesome. People were slaughtered. Corpses were scattered everywhere,” he reported.
“When we heard the shots and saw the militants, we committed our lives to God. This morning, I thank God I am alive,” Rev. Ukuma Jonathan Angbianbee added.
The priest confirmed the identity of the attackers, stating unequivocally: “There is no question about who carried out the attack. They were definitely Fulanis. They were shouting ‘Allahu Akbar.'” Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) corroborated this account, reporting that “Militants stormed in, shouting ‘Allahu Akhbar’ (‘God is great’), before killing people at will.” Local authorities have faced criticism for their delayed response to the violence, with many questioning why security forces weren’t able to intervene more quickly.
Pattern of Intensifying Persecution
The Yelewata massacre represents an alarming escalation in what appears to be a systematic campaign against Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region. Previous attacks by Fulani herdsmen during Lent and Holy Week earlier this year resulted in more than 170 Christian deaths. Over the past two years, nearly 10,000 Nigerian Christians have been killed by Islamic extremists, according to Global Christian Relief. The latest attack has forced thousands more to flee, with over 5,000 people displaced from surrounding communities.
“Some 200 people were murdered, with extraordinary cruelty” – Pope Leo XIV
Pope Leo XIV has condemned the massacre and called for increased security measures to protect vulnerable Christian communities. Church leaders in the region fear these attacks represent a coordinated plan to eliminate Christians from northern and central Nigeria. The Nigerian government faces mounting international pressure to address what many human rights organizations are calling a genocide against the country’s Christian population, which makes up roughly half of Nigeria’s 220 million citizens.