Nigerian government lacks political will to end attacks in Benue state, Catholic bishop says

MAKURDI, Nigeria — Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe of Nigeria’s Diocese of Makurdi has faulted the government over persistent attacks in Benue state and other parts of the country, saying authorities have the capacity to end the violence but lack the political will.

In a Nov. 3 interview with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, Anagbe alleged that repeated warnings before the deadly attack on the Yelwata community went unheeded.

“If the government wants this problem to stop, it can stop. Nigeria is capable of handling this issue, but they are not willing to do so. It is not that they lack the capacity; they lack the willingness,” he said.

The bishop spoke while attending a national workshop for lay leaders of various Church groups organized by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN).

Referring to the attack on the Yelwata community , he said warnings were issued about a month and three weeks before the violence, and again 24 hours before the attack.

According to Anagbe, local vigilantes responsible for alerting the people issued the warnings, but no preventive action followed.

He said the attack lasted about four hours, which he believed provided…