Twin Protests Erupt as Tiv Christians Accuse Nigeria of Abandoning Taraba to Fulani Genocide

102 Tiv Christians Killed in 33 Days as Nigerian Government Ignores Taraba Genocide

Hundreds of Christian youths stormed Nigeria's National Assembly on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, dressed in black and clutching placards. They accused federal authorities of abandoning Tiv tribe communities in southern Taraba State to Fulani terrorists who are seizing land and driving out Christian families.

Between January 2 and February 3, 2026, at least 102 Tiv Christians were killed and over 31 injured in no fewer than ten coordinated Fulani terrorist attacks on Chanchanji district alone, according to the Northern Christians Religious Leaders Assembly (NOCRELA). The violence has been described as "continuous, horrific, and targeted."

A second protest erupted the same week when approximately 50 Catholic clergy marched through the Taraba State capital of Jalingo on Thursday, February 12. Very Rev. Father James Yaropay, the Vicar Pastoral of the Catholic Diocese of Wukari, confirmed that since September 2025, over 80 people have been killed, more than 200 churches and communities destroyed, and approximately 90,000 Catholics displaced across Takum, Donga, and Ussa local government areas.

The Taraba Tiv Youths Association chairman stated that Fulani terrorists have been given "a deadline of three months to finish, to wipe out, the Tiv people in Taraba State." Affected communities include Adu, Aga, Mbaiyerikyaior, Tse Nev, Facii, Demevaa, and Igbum.

Silence is not an option. Justice, reconciliation and decisive action must replace fear and neglect.

That statement came from Bishop Emmanuel Ande of the United Methodist Church of Nigeria, who called the crisis a "deep humanitarian, moral, and security failure."

At least 103 denominational churches have been forced to close across Donga and Takum due to the insecurity. These churches had served not only as places of worship but also as schools, counseling centers, and social support hubs for the community. Over 1,000 farming communities have been displaced since 2019.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called for expanded security deployment and warned of potential peaceful protests if action is delayed further. Church leaders warned that if the government fails to guarantee security, they may seek help from the international community.

Nigerian Christians Demand Government Action as Fulani Militia Destroys Over 200 Churches in Taraba State

Security analysts have accused the Taraba state government of downplaying the severity of the Fulani terrorist campaign. One analyst stated that "the government's inaction allowed the terrorists to gain strength, subdue local populations, and entrench themselves." The protests represent an escalation in the demands of Nigerian Christians who say their communities are being systematically destroyed while authorities look the other way.

Agricultural productivity in the region has collapsed, food insecurity is rising, substance abuse among displaced youth is growing, and trust between communities has eroded. The protesters are demanding that Fulani terrorists be named, confronted, and stopped before Taraba becomes another entrenched front in Nigeria's widening insurgent crisis.

The Crusader's Opinion

One hundred and two Christians murdered in thirty three days. Ninety thousand displaced. Two hundred churches burned to the ground. And the Nigerian government's response? Silence. Absolute, deafening silence. This is not a conflict. This is a campaign of extermination against our brothers and sisters in Christ, and the world is watching it happen in real time while pretending it does not exist. If Christians were burning mosques in northern Nigeria, every international news network would have permanent crews on the ground. The United Nations would hold emergency sessions. Sanctions would be drafted. But when it is Christians being slaughtered, when it is our churches reduced to ash, when it is our families driven from their ancestral land, the world shrugs. The hypocrisy is staggering and the blood cries out from the ground. The Church must not wait for a world that does not care. We must defend our own.

Take Action

• Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to support persecuted Christians in Nigeria and across Africa.
• Support Open Doors USA, which provides emergency relief, Bibles, and trauma care to persecuted believers in Nigeria.
• Give to Voice of the Martyrs, which works directly with Nigerian Christian communities under attack.
• Contact the Nigerian Embassy in Washington at (202) 800 7201 and demand the Nigerian government protect Christian communities in Taraba State immediately.
• Write to your Congressional representatives and demand they pressure the U.S. State Department to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern for religious freedom violations. Find your representative at house.gov.
• Share this article and spread awareness. The mainstream media will not cover this story. You must be the voice for the voiceless.