POPE LEO XIV CONDEMNS DEADLY ATTACKS IN BENUE STATE, PRAYS FOR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES

The head of the Roman Catholic Church worldwide, Pope LEO XIV has condemned the recent killings in the state. Pope LEO described the incident, which claimed the lives of at least forty-five people, as extreme cruelty and a terrible massacre of mostly displaced civilians. The Catholic Pontiff shared his thought while delivering the Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican. He expressed deep concern over the ongoing violence in Nigeria and the suffering of affected communities, and prayed for security, justice, and peace to prevail in the country. The Pope also offered special intercession for the rural Christian communities in Benue, whom he described as relentless victims of violence.