The Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Makurdi Diocese, has voiced grave concern over the safety of Most Rev. Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, CMF, Catholic Bishop of Makurdi, following rumors of a potential government plan to arrest or intimidate him upon his return to Nigeria.
The concern, carried in an April 10 statement, signed by Rev. Fr. Joseph Terfa Beba, chairman of the association, comes amid mounting anxiety in Benue State, where residents and religious leaders continue to decry unchecked violence, mass killings, and displacement at the hands of armed herdsmen and militias — a crisis Bishop Anagbe has repeatedly condemned.
A Bishop Under Threat for Speaking the Truth
Bishop Anagbe, widely respected for his fearless advocacy for justice and human dignity, has long been a vocal critic of what he describes as the systematic and ongoing slaughter of innocent people in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region. Since becoming bishop in 2014, he has persistently sounded the alarm on the destruction of communities, the burning of homes and churches, and the invasion of ancestral lands.
According to the statement, these courageous truths may now have placed the Bishop in danger.
“On March 28, 2025, Fr. Remigius Ihyula received a message from an embassy in Abuja warning that there might be an arrest warrant for Bishop Anagbe upon his return to Nigeria,” the document reveals.
If verified, such a move would mark a disturbing escalation in what many see as an effort to muzzle the Church and other moral voices calling for accountability.
Religious Liberty at Stake
The Makurdi priests have condemned in the strongest terms any attempt to harass or detain the Bishop, warning that such actions would not only violate his fundamental rights but also constitute “an attack on truth itself.”
“To target the Bishop for persecution would be to deny the ongoing killings and sufferings of thousands of displaced persons,” the statement reads. “This is not about any personality or personalities — it is about the freedom and safety of our people.”
The priests maintain that the Bishop’s outcry is grounded in both fact and faith, pointing to decades of violence that have displaced entire communities, destroyed livelihoods, and turned churches into ruins. “Where is the lie in what we have suffered since 2001?” they ask.
A Call to Action
In their five-point demand, the priests:
- Condemn any attempts to intimidate or harm Bishop Anagbe or other clergy who speak out against injustice.
- Call for immediate assurance of Bishop Anagbe’s safety and freedom.
- Urge the Nigerian government to respect his rights as both a citizen and a moral leader.
- Appeal to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, civil society, and the international community to ensure the Bishop and Fr. Ihyula remain unharmed.
- Warn authorities that silencing conscience only empowers violence and deepens the wounds of injustice.
The priests emphasize that truth is not a crime and must never be criminalized. “The voice of the shepherd must not be silenced. The cry of the oppressed must not be ignored.”
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