Nigeria News
Threat Against Bishop Anagbe, Ihyula By Nigerian Govt For Speaking Up Against Killings Is Disturbing – US
The United States has condemned reported threats on the lives of Catholic Bishop, Wilfred Anagbe and Reverend Father Remigus Ihyula because they spoke up about killings in the Middle Belt.
Naija News reports that Bishop Anagbe and his accompanying priest, Ihyula, told the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, on March 12, that Christians in the Middle Belt were victims of targeted killing.
According to the Catholic Register, Bishop Anagbe and Father Ihyula have been receiving threats for speaking on the alleged targeted killing of Christians in the Middle Belt. It added that both Bishop Anagbe and Ihulay have yet to return to Nigeria.
The report stated that Bishop Anagbe received threat from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before he spoke to the US House Foreign Affairs Committee on Christian killings in the Middle Belt.
“On March 28 Ihyula received a message from an embassy in Abuja, Nigeria. The message transmitted to Ihyula warned that there ‘might be’ an arrest warrant for Anagbe upon his return to Nigeria.
“Threats began even hours before Anagbe spoke to Congress on March 12. He received a call at 3 a.m. from a brother prelate who shared the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called and warned Anagbe had ‘better watch his words’,” Catholic Register reported.
Reacting to the Catholic Register report, in a statement, on its š¯•¸ handle, the United States Mission in Nigeria, on Thursday, stressed that the Bishop of Makurdi and Fr. Ihyula have rights to speak freely without any fear of retribution or retaliation.
“The U.S. Mission in Nigeria is disturbed by this report of intimidation and threats against Nigerian religious leaders Bishop Wilfred Anagbe and Rev. Fr. Remigius because of their March 12 testimony before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) on the human rights situation in Nigeriaā€™s Middle Belt.
“Freedom of expression is an essential human right and central to the function of democracy, in Nigeria and the United States. No one should be subject to threats for exercising that right. We call on all actors to respect Bishop Anagbeā€™s and Father Remigiusā€™s right to speak freely without fear of retribution or retaliation,” it read.
