The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, His Lordship Wilfred Anagbe, on Saturday, June 13, led the clergy and lay faithful from and across Benue State for the blessing and dedication of the Yelewata Genocide Memorial Monument, one year after a coordinated attack killed 275 local farmers in the community by armed Fulani killers. All 275 are Christians.
It is understood that the Yelewata Genocide Memorial Monument is facilitated by Franc Utoo, Esq, a Knight of Columbus, and sponsored by Equipping the Persecuted USA.
Thousands, including the clergy, lay faithful, government functionaries, and politicians, converged on the Benue North-Western Community in Guma Local Government Area (LGA), Benue State, Nigeria, for the memorial service and dedication.
Mr Judd Saul, Chief Executive Officer of Equipping the Persecuted, before the memorial mass, said at the unveiling of the monument on June 12 that the attacks wouldn’t have happened if the government had responded to the intelligence report and taken proactive measures.
Bishop Anagbe, in his mass, said the memorial meant not to forget or to feel bad, but to pray for the souls of the 275 who were killed while praying to God to forgive those who perpetrated the act.
Some of those displaced during the attacks are still taking refuge in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, but say they want to go back home.
Guma Local Government Council (LGC) Chairman, Mr Maurice Orwough, said he was saddened that the attack happened, noting that no government is elected to govern over the dead.
He told TNT that Yeleata is not an isolated case of attacks on local populations in his Local Government Area, and he is optimistic that the people will overcome the challenges of insecurity and return to their normal ways of life.
