Fulani Terrorists Murder Pastor, Rape Two Christian Women in Brutal Benue State Attacks
Four Christians killed including a pastor and two women raped as Fulani militia storm Apa and Agatu communities in Benue State.
Pastor Killed, Two Christian Women Raped as Fulani Militia Storm Benue Communities in Apa and Agatu
Four Christians, including a pastor, were killed and two women were sexually assaulted during a wave of coordinated attacks by suspected Fulani Ethnic Militia across Apa and Agatu counties in Benue State, Nigeria.
The attacks unfolded over two days beginning on Sunday, February 23, 2026. In Apa County, armed herders invaded the communities of Edikwu G'Icho, Ole G'ijamu, Ukpogo, and Oiji. A pastor returning from church was among the first victims, ambushed and killed at Edikwu Ward 11.
Two Christian women were raped during the assaults and rushed to a medical facility for treatment. Their identities have been withheld for safety.
Adams Ocheiga, Chairman of Apa Local Government Area, confirmed the violence:
Two people were ambushed and killed at Edikwu Ward 11 yesterday, while Oiji was attacked this morning but repelled immediately by vigilant youths.
In a separate but related attack in neighboring Agatu County, two fishermen were killed near Obishu at a fadama farm. The victims were identified as Imanche Paul Moses of Ologba Community and Umaru Gejeh of Enungba Community.
James Melvin Ejeh, Chairman of Agatu Local Government Council, condemned the killings:
This heinous and barbaric act is unacceptable. It is a direct attack on the peace and security of our communities.
Youths in Oiji mobilized quickly and repelled the attackers, preventing further casualties. Benue State Police Command spokesperson DSP Udeme Edet did not respond to media inquiries about the incidents.
The attacks come amid a broader wave of violence across Benue State. In early February 2026, at least 33 Christians were killed within 72 hours in attacks across Kwande and Apa counties. Over one million residents have been displaced by Fulani violence, with more than 500,000 forced into overcrowded IDP camps.
Fulani Militia Killings and Rapes Expose Ongoing Christian Persecution in Benue State Nigeria
U.S. Congressman Riley M. Moore recently visited Benue's displacement camps and presented a comprehensive report to the White House outlining proposals to end Christian persecution in Nigeria. His recommendations include a bilateral U.S. Nigeria security agreement, sanctions against individuals complicit in religious persecution, and the repeal of Sharia and blasphemy laws.
Benue State residents in displacement camps have welcomed Moore's proposals, which also call for withholding certain U.S. funds pending demonstrable action by the Nigerian government to protect Christian communities.
The Crusader's Opinion
A pastor was murdered walking home from preaching the Gospel. Two women were violated in their own communities. Fishermen were butchered for the crime of feeding their families. And the Nigerian police could not even be bothered to return a phone call.
This is not a "farmer herder conflict." This is systematic extermination of Christians on their ancestral land. Every week, the body count rises, and the world says nothing. If Christians were doing this to Muslims anywhere on earth, every government, every media outlet, every international body would be in an uproar. But because the victims carry crosses and not crescents, the silence is deafening.
Thank God for men like Congressman Riley Moore who are willing to look evil in the face and call it what it is. The Nigerian government has the blood of the faithful on its hands until it acts.
Take Action
- Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to support persecuted Christians in Nigeria and across the world.
- Support Open Doors USA, which provides emergency relief, trauma care, and advocacy for persecuted believers in Nigeria.
- Give to Voice of the Martyrs, which delivers Bibles, training, and aid to Christians under attack in the Middle Belt.
- Contact your U.S. Representative and Senators. Ask them to co sponsor H.Res.866, which condemns the persecution of Christians in Nigeria and calls for decisive U.S. action. Find your representatives at congress.gov.
- Follow and share reporting from Truth Nigeria to amplify the voices of persecuted Christians that mainstream media ignores.
