Catholic bishops in Nigeria have called for urgent government action following a wave of violent attacks that have left over 100 people dead in Benue and Plateau states.

In a strongly worded statement, the bishops said: “There is no justification whatsoever for the continuous bloodletting that has become the daily reality of many in Benue State and across Nigeria... This carnage must end.”

The violence, largely attributed to Fulani jihadist militias, resulted in dozens of deaths in separate incidents in June alone.

Earlier this year, more than 179 Christians were massacred during the Easter weekend, and thousands more have been displaced across Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja told Crux: “The Christian communities in northern Nigeria... continue to endure violent attacks by armed groups. The Middle Belt region remains a hotbed for these brutal assaults.”

According to Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors, over 3,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria in 2024, while Genocide Watch estimates that more than 45,000 have died since 2009.

Church leaders are now urging both state and federal governments to take “immediate, firm, and sustained action” to protect lives and restore hope to Nigeria’s Christian communities.