Persecution of Christians: Nigerian Bishop Confronts A Spokesman of the Regime

Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, 60, of Makurdi, Nigeria, spoke March 12 to the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa about Islamic militants killing or forcibly displacing Christians and an ongoing campaign of Islamization in Nigeria.

But on March 14, Nigerian Foreign Ministry spokesman Kimembi Imomotomi Ebienfa derided Monsignor Anagbe's assessments as 'misinformation' and a 'misleading report'.

The bishop doubled down. Speaking to CatholicRegister.org (April 8), he rebuked the government's unwillingness to acknowledge the problem:

"My diocese has lost about 15 parishes between 2018 and 2024," Monsignor Anagbe said:

"Between 2015 and 2025, we have had about 140 priests kidnapped, some killed and some only regained their freedom after ransom was paid. We've had churches destroyed - there have been many attacks, even on feast days".

Monsignor Anagbe challenged the argument that Christians are not specifically targeted.

"If they are not being targeted as Christians, let us look at the statistics of what has happened," Bishop Anagbe said.

"How many mosques have been destroyed compared to the Catholic churches or Christian churches that have been burnt down? How many imams have been kidnapped?" - the bishop said.

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