The Pope and the United States condemn the brutal murder of Christians in the Nigerian Church

The State Department joined the Pope to attack the last massacre of Christians in Nigeria, apparently by Islamist “terrorists”.

Pope Leo XIV said in a recent speech to thousands of people in the Vatican that “some 200 people were murdered, with extraordinary cruelty” on June 13 in Yelewata, in the state of Nigeria Benue.

Late Monday, a spokesperson for the State Department declared to Fox News Digital: “We strongly condemn these increasing attacks, including recent massacres in the state of Benue which mainly cibed Christian agricultural villages.”

“Shouting” Allahu Akbar “(Arab for” God is great “), they (the attackers) burned the buildings and attacked people with rifles and machetes,” the NGO wrote in the church in need in a press release, adding that activists “used fuel to set fire to the doors of people’s accommodation before opening fire”.

The village of Bishop attacked, 20 killed after a recent testimony of the Congress on Christian persecution

Pope Leo XIV prays on the members of the international media of Paul VI Hall at the Vatican on May 12, 2025. (Domenico Stinellis)

The Pope told the crowd in Rome that the majority of these “brutally killed” in Yelewata had reflected in a Catholic sanctuary. “Most of the victims were internal refugees, organized by a local Catholic mission,” said the pontiff. He added that he would pray for “security, peace and justice”, in particular for “rural Christian communities in the state of Benue who were victims of incessant violence”.

Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian, according to the world list of World World watch by the Open Doors International (WWL). Of the 4,476 Christians killed worldwide in the last WWL reference period, 3,100 of those who died – 69% – were in Nigeria.

Speaking to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for the State Department has strengthened the reports that attacks against Christians are led by Islamic militant groups. “The United States remains deeply concerned about the levels of violence in Nigeria, including the threats posed by terrorist groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic-West State in Northern Nigeria, and the impact of violence on all communities in Nigeria.”

Pope Leo XIV condemned the murders of up to 200 people in the Yelewata community in Nigeria. (Associated Press)

This year, Islamist activists have often attacked the areas of Nigeria where people are mainly Christian. The state of Benue, where the last massacre took place, would be 93% Christian.

A Nigerian church, who asked to remain anonymous for his safety, told Fox News Digital last month that the attackers “wanted to be sure that Islam (takes) on all parts of these places.

The spokesperson for the State Department seemed to support this point of view, saying that “violent extremist groups target a wide range of civilian civilians and targets in the context of their wider campaign against a secular state. The increase in violent Islamic extremism and repeated attacks against vulnerable communities in Nigeria must be addressed more effectively”.

Catholic church St. Francis in Owo, Nigeria, on June 6, 2022, one day after a targeted attack the faithful. (Photo / Sunday Alamba)

The fears remain at Easter that Christians in Nigeria are “destroyed” by Muslim extremists

A Nigerian bishop told Fox News Digital in June that he had been threatened and that his original village had attacked bruised by appealing to the legislators during a hearing of the March Congress so that the murder of Christians stops.

Bishop Wilfred Anagbe said that after going to Washington to testify, “terrorist jihadists” killed 20 parishioners in four attacks in 10 days in his diocese, the area for which he is responsible.

Now, the bishop hides after several foreign embassies in the capital of Nigeria, Abuja warned him of high -level credible official threats that “something could happen to him”.

The members of the Islamic extremist group of Nigeria Boko Haram on October 31, 2014. (AP)

The spokesperson for the State Department added: “We regularly urge the Nigeria government to intensify their efforts to protect civilians, enforce the rule of law and keep responsible perpetrators. The United States is associated with the elimination of the Government of Nigeria to strengthen the capacities of the fight against terrorism of Nigeria, by working together in the elimination of terrorist organizations and their support network.”

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The Nigerian government has not responded to a request for digital comments from Fox News. However, President Bola Tinubu visited Benue’s state last week and told journalists: “Foundations a setting for lasting peace”.

The same day, in the same district, six other people were reportedly killed.