Resettlement is not a long-term solution for the IDPs in Benue State, according to Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Makurdi Diocese, who has cautioned officials at all levels of government.
The clergyman made his point at the 2026 Cathedradicum, which took place at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Makurdi, by saying that the state’s displaced people don’t need to be sent to new settlements, but rather helped to return to their ancestral lands so that they may start farming again.
He stated that the government at all levels can return the IDPs to their ancestral homes safely by ensuring adequate security, particularly at border areas, and that this is the only long-term option.
He made the case that moving the displaced people somewhere else wouldn’t solve their economic problems because almost all of them are farmers whose livelihoods are dependent on access to their farmlands.
He raised doubts about resettlement, pointing out that it would mean leaving their native areas unprotected and open to invasion.
The Bishop also condemned what he saw as efforts to manipulate the story of the killings in Benue and elsewhere in the nation for partisan or personal benefit.
When he initially voiced his concerns about the attacks, he recalls receiving criticism. However, he remained steadfast in his position.
“When I began to cry out against the slaughter of our people, I was called names,” he reflected on his advocacy work. I was unfazed by accusations that I am biased since I was well-informed. I give thanks to God that the truth has been revealed to all today.
He elaborated by saying that he wanted people to be able to go back to their regular lives after hearing his repeated calls for peace.
So that the people of Benue may return to their farms and provide for their families, all I wanted was for the killings to end. That is why I kept at it and eventually brought this call to the attention of the global community. Praise be to God, we have finally come to a consensus.
In addition, the Bishop expressed gratitude to God for answering his prayers and rescuing him, stating, “I am glad that everyone in Benue and beyond is now fully aware that the killings in Benue and Nigeria at large are purely Christian genocide.” He went on to say that many people now realise the extent of the violence. In order to preserve the lives and property of its citizens, the government at all levels must immediately remove the terrorists who have taken up residence in our ancestral houses.
He emphasised that truth is still a potent weapon for conquering adversity and commanded Christians to be persistent in prayer while maintaining the principles of honesty, sincerity, and truthfulness.
Bishop Anagbe has been a steadfast leader and advocate for the impacted communities, according to Peter Paleve, dean of the High Level Deanery in the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi.
With a statement that read, “I want to thank the Bishop for sponsoring the surgery of over 250 IDPs with varying diseases ranging from hernia, goitre, among other diseases that were slowly killing IDPs,” Paleve—who is also the Chief Medical Director of Bishop Murray Medical Centre in Makurdi—highlighted the Bishop’s humanitarian efforts.