Makurdi: Father Vealumun Paul Ansbert Mom, superior general of Nigeria’s Via Christi Society, has painted a stark picture of the growing insecurity and targeted violence facing Christians in the north-central region of the country. Speaking to ACI Africa on September 7, amid a canonical visit to St. Matthew Kuchikau Parish in the Diocese of Lafia, Fr. Mom described the devastation in Benue State as deliberate and systematic persecution.
“St. Paul Parish Ayititwa in Katsina-Ala Diocese was burnt down and destroyed. The parish house, rectory, and church building were reduced to ashes,” Fr. Mom said. “From every evidence available, what is going on is the persecution of Christians, and we cannot hide away from that fact.” The priest lamented that these attacks have obliterated entire communities, leaving him personally unable to return to his ancestral village. “I don’t have a village any longer; I can’t travel to my village. My village no longer exists because everyone has been driven away by killer herders,” he said, recounting the tragic loss of two cousins and another family member recently shot on his farm.
Fr. Mom emphasized that these attacks are highly targeted, designed to prevent the growth of Christianity in certain areas. He explained that many parishes in Makurdi Diocese and surrounding regions have been closed due to insecurity, while priests remain in dangerous conditions even after government officials have evacuated. “Local government chairmen have relocated their offices to Makurdi, but Catholic priests remain in those villages. They go to bed every night wondering if they will survive, yet they stay,” he said.
Highlighting the role of the Nigerian government, Fr. Mom called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to acknowledge the severity of the crisis. “The popular narrative among the powers that be is to deny the reality, but those of us who face it firsthand know the truth. Churches are destroyed, priests are displaced, and Christians are being persecuted. Government presence is almost nonexistent in these communities. The only officials left are soldiers,” he said. Despite his criticism, Fr. Mom underscored that the Catholic Church does not see itself as adversarial to the state. “We love them, we pray for them, and we wish them well. But as a credible moral voice, we must call their attention to the suffering of the people,” he explained.
Fr. Mom also addressed the challenges of nurturing vocations in Nigeria’s increasingly secular and materialistic society. He stressed that economic hardship alone does not prevent young people from entering the priesthood; rather, it is materialism and comfort that undermine commitment. “Our priests in Via Christi Society work in remote and difficult missions where sacrifice is required, not wealth,” he said, quoting Scripture: “‘Foxes have holes, the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’ To follow him means surrender and sacrifice.”
Highlighting the courage of priests in the field, Fr. Mom noted that Via Christi missionaries continue their work in flashpoints such as Udei, Adaka, Aondona, and Naka, bringing light, shelter, and hope to communities in need. One priest in Bauchi installed a solar power system that became the only source of electricity for an entire village, while another sheltered an entire Caribbean community during a hurricane in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Concluding his reflection, Fr. Mom reaffirmed the Society’s reliance on faith and divine providence to sustain their mission. “Even when obstacles seem impossible, divine providence takes us a step further. That is what keeps us going in Nigeria and in every part of the world where we serve,” he said, emphasizing resilience, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment in the face of persecution.
The testimony of Fr. Mom offers a sobering glimpse into the daily realities confronting Nigerian Christians and highlights the urgent need for protective measures, government action, and global awareness to address the mounting threats facing faith communities in conflict-prone regions.