The leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, has offered prayers for the victims of what he described as a “terrible massacre” in Benue State, Nigeria.
The prayers come in the wake of a brutal attack by armed men on Yelwata town in Guma Local Government Area of the state, where more than 200 people lost their lives.
Addressing worshippers during his remarks before the Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church described the massacre as a tragedy of immense cruelty. He disclosed that most of the victims were displaced persons seeking refuge at a Catholic mission in the area.
The Pope said, “On the night of the 13th/14th June, in the town of Yelwata in the Guma Local Government Area in Benue State in Nigeria. A terrible massacre occurred in which around 200 people were killed with extreme cruelty. Most of whom were internally displaced persons hosted by the local catholic mission.”
The pontiff also offered prayers for Nigeria, lamenting the frequent violence affecting many regions of the country. He expressed particular concern for rural Christian communities in Benue, who have suffered repeated attacks over time.
He said, “I pray that security, justice, and peace will prevail in Nigeria, a beloved country so affected by various forms of violence.
“And I pray in a special way for the rural Christian communities in Benue State, who have been unceasingly the victims of violence.”
The incident in Yelwata has drawn condemnation from religious and civil society groups across Nigeria, who have urged authorities to urgently address the growing insecurity in Benue and other states facing similar threats.
