A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo, was on Saturday attacked and shot by gunmen suspected to be armed herders along the Makurdi/Naka Road in the Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to a source, the Catholic priest, who was a priest of Jimba parish, was driving along the notorious Makurdi/Naka road when he was shot around Tyolaha by suspected armed herders.
The priest was said to have been discovered by a security operative patrolling the area and who took him to an undisclosed hospital.
In his reaction, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Most Rev Wilfred Anagbe, called for urgent prayers saying the priest was being attended to at the hospital.
In a letter dated Saturday, May 24, 2025, signed by the Chancellor, Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Rev Fr Shima Ukpanya, on behalf of the bishop, he said the request for the prayer was for the quick recovery of the priest.
The letter read partly, “I write on behalf of Bishop Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Most Rev Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, for your prayer for the quick recovery of one of our priests, Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo, who was attacked and shot this evening around Tyolaha, Makurdi/Naka Road, Gwer West Local Government Area by suspected terrorist herders.”
Efforts to get the reaction of the state command spokesperson, Catherine Anene, were not successful as of the time of filing this report as calls made to her phone did not connect.
