United States Representative, Riley Moore, on Monday described the past week as “some of the most horrifically bloody days in recent history for Christians across Nigeria.”
According to him, that three parishioners of the Holy Trinity Parish in Kafanchan Catholic Diocese of Kaduna State were “brutally murdered by radical Islamic jihadists” who also kidnapped Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, alongside 10 parishioners.
This is even as nine worshippers, mostly women and youths, were abducted from St. John’s Catholic Church, Ojije in Utonkon District of Ado Local Government Area of Benue State during a vigil in the wee hours of Sunday.
Shedding light on the development, National Publicity Secretary of the Ufia Development Association, an umbrella body of the sons and daughters of the community, Mr Jude Onwe, said the abduction underscored the growing insecurity confronting rural communities across Benue State.
“Our people were praying. They were unarmed. They were vulnerable. This is not an isolated incident. Silence will kill us. We are raising our voices because our lives matter and Utonkon matters,” he said.
Onwe demanded decisive action from the Federal and Benue State gvernments, urging security agencies to intensify rescue efforts while appealing to religious bodies, civil society organisations, human rights groups and the international community to come to the aid of the community.
Meanwhile, the congressman representing West Virginia’s 2nd District in the United States Congress, in a post on the X platform, urged the Nigerian government to take decisive action to protect all citizens, warning that continued attacks on Christians constitute violent persecution.
Moore was part of a delegation sent by the United States President, Donald Trump on a fact-finding mission concerning Christian persecution in Nigeria. He and members of the delegation visited Benue State, where they interacted with survivors of terrorist attacks, who shared their stories.
He would later disclose that the stories he heard from the victims left him shocked.
“It was really shocking. The stories that we heard, the imagery, it was… I’ve never witnessed anything like that in my life. I met one woman who lost her entire family; five of her children were murdered right in front of her.
“She was pregnant at the time, and she was able to escape. She had that child in an Internally Displaced Persons camp. You could just see her soul had literally left her body. There are countless stories like this.
“Another woman’s family was attacked; she lost her husband and two daughters. They murdered her unborn child. These Islamic terrorists murdered her unborn child and took it right out of her. It’s beyond words,” the congressman told Fox News.
Moore has now called for prayers for the release of those taken hostage, tweeting as follows, “Please join me in praying for the safe return of Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye of Holy Trinity Parish in Kaduna, who was kidnapped alongside 10 others.
“Three of his parishioners were brutally murdered by radical Islamic jihadists during the attack.
“The last week has been some of the most horrifically bloody days in recent history for Christians across Nigeria.
“The genocide of Christians must end, and it falls squarely on the Nigerian government’s shoulders to defend its citizens – all of its citizens – and end this violent persecution. Please keep praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ.”
