Lives of Rural Villagers Hold Little Value to Authorities in Nigeria – American Missionary

By Emmanuel Kwada

American missionary Alex Barbir has issued a stark condemnation of the Nigerian government’s apparent indifference to ongoing violence in the Middle Belt, asserting that the lives of rural Christian villagers and indigenous communities “hold little value” to those in power.

His comments come amid a recent trek into one of the region’s most afflicted areas and follow his direct involvement in relief efforts and attendance at victims’ funerals in multiple states.

Barbir, founder of the U.S.-based organization Building Zion, which focuses on supporting persecuted Christian communities through reconstruction projects, humanitarian aid, and spiritual outreach, has been actively engaged in Nigeria’s conflict zones since at least mid-2025.

His work emphasizes rebuilding homes, churches, clinics, and water infrastructure destroyed in attacks often attributed to Fulani militants, while amplifying calls for justice and international awareness of what he and many locals describe as targeted genocide against Christians.

In his latest account, shared today, Barbir detailed a grueling trek into Turan district in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, a region he described as enduring “15 years of terrorism, displacement, unfathomable violence, and genocide.”

He portrayed villages as eerily silent and completely desolate: “No movement, no life… completely abandoned.”

Not one checkpoint, no army, no police, zero initiative from the government and forces to save and rescue their own people.

Thousands have been killed or displaced, with homes burned and ancestral farmlands seized over nearly two decades, he said.

Critically, Barbir highlighted the total absence of security presence: “Not one checkpoint, no army, no police, zero initiative from the government and forces to save and rescue their own people.”

He accused authorities of selective inaction, stating that if similar violence targeted the families or properties of those in power, “the full-fledged force would be released on the perpetrators.” This, he argued, reveals a profound devaluation of Christian and rural lives.

The visit to Turan follows Barbir’s extensive prior engagements in Benue and neighboring states. In Guma LGA, he led Operation Rebuild Yelewata after devastating attacks in 2025 that killed dozens and displaced thousands.

True power, justice, & vengeance is in the hands of the Lord almighty. Yahweh has the final word.

Through Building Zion, he has funded and overseen the construction of new homes, renovation of damaged structures, installation of boreholes for clean water, establishment of clinics, and rebuilding of churches to restore community life and hope.

During a visit to Yelewata, Barbir reportedly made the heartbreaking discovery of skeletal remains, including those of children, at massacre sites—underscoring the lingering horrors.

Barbir has also extended his solidarity to Plateau State, where violence has surged in recent weeks. On January 22, 2026, he was present in Jos for the mass burial of six young Christian miners brutally killed in a suspected terrorist attack on a mining camp.

Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

Videos and photos circulating online show him kneeling in mourning alongside grieving families, attending the funeral rites, and speaking out about the “Christian genocide” unfolding. His presence at the burial drew significant attention, with many praising his commitment to standing with victims in their darkest moments.

These experiences have only deepened Barbir’s resolve. Framing the crisis in spiritual terms, he declared that ultimate justice lies with God: “True power, justice, & vengeance is in the hands of the Lord almighty. Yahweh has the final word.”

Quoting Psalm 82, he urged divine intervention on behalf of the vulnerable: “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Barbir’s firsthand testimonies align with persistent reports of farmer-herder clashes escalating into widespread killings, displacements, and destruction of livelihoods across Benue, Plateau, and other Middle Belt states.

Aex Barbir In Jos

Advocacy groups and survivors frequently characterize the violence as systematic targeting of Christian farming communities, with inadequate federal security responses allowing the cycle to continue despite repeated promises of deployments and interventions.

His mission continues to call for urgent protection, accountability, and support for affected populations, while he maintains that “our hope remains in the Lord, especially in the face of evil.”

Through his efforts, Barbir not only aids physical recovery but seeks to amplify the cries of communities long overlooked, insisting that no life should be deemed expendable.

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