The German government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria in tackling insecurity and fostering peaceful coexistence, following a call for urgent government protection and humanitarian assistance by residents of the Yelwata community in Venue State after their experience from last year’s deadly attack.
It was reported that Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Thomas Rachel, made this known on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, during a press briefing in Abuja after a fact-finding visit to affected communities and internally displaced persons camps.
Rachel described his visit to Yelwata as deeply emotional, revealing that survivors of the June 2025 massacre, which claimed over 200 lives, are still grappling with fear and uncertainty about their future.
“I am still moved by my visit to Yelwata, the village where a massacre took place in June 2025. More than 200 Christians were killed there,” he said.
“The people with whom I spoke, they asked for safety. They asked what the government can do. They asked for support for living, and they want to have a chance to return from IDPs, from internally displaced persons, to their ancestral homes.”
Yelwata Attack And Its Aftermath
It was reported that Yelwata, located about 7km north of Makurdi in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, came under attack in the early hours of June 13, 2025, when over 100 armed assailants invaded the farming community.
The community, which also hosted displaced persons from neighbouring areas, witnessed widespread destruction, with houses burnt, many residents injured, and about 3,000 people displaced.
The killings form part of a broader wave of violence affecting parts of Nigeria, particularly in the Middle Belt and North-East regions.
‘Christians, Muslims share common enemy’
Speaking on the wider security situation, Rachel stressed that insecurity in Nigeria affects people across religious divides.
“You see that Christians and Muslims have a common enemy. These are the terrorists. So let me express my full solidarity with Nigeria,” he said.
During his visit, the German envoy said he met with victims, religious leaders, government officials, and community members, noting palpable fear among displaced populations.
“I spoke with Muslim people, with Christians, with humanist representatives. I visited the IDP camp international market in Makurdi. I spoke with victims, and you can feel that they are not sure if they have a perspective for their life and this makes me sad,” he added.
Rachel also raised concerns over alleged human rights violations linked to the enforcement of blasphemy laws in some northern states.
“We heard about the concerns of quite a lot of people about the partial application of blasphemy laws in certain northern states, which leads to severe violations of human rights, as well as the freedom of religion and belief,” he said.
Highlighting the complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges, the commissioner pointed to terrorism in the North and farmer-herder conflicts in the Middle Belt as major drivers of violence.
“We have the conflicts between farmers and especially external herders in the Middle Belt and in the northern part they are killed by Boko Haram and ISWAP, so it’s a real terroristic problem,” he explained.
Rachel emphasised the need for dialogue, tolerance, and mutual respect among religious groups as a pathway to lasting peace.
“Nigeria is one of our key partners on this continent, and furthermore, Nigeria and Germany share important values. Both countries are democracies. They are free societies. Germany remains fully committed to protecting and promoting the freedom of religion and belief,” he said.
He also referenced global human rights standards, noting that freedom of religion remains a cornerstone of peaceful societies.
“I realise that Nigeria is probably the most religious country I have ever seen, perhaps in the world. The people live with religion, and I think this is really impressive,” he added.
Germany Rules Out Troop Deployment
On military cooperation, Rachel clarified that Germany would not deploy troops to Nigeria but would continue to provide advisory and training support.
“We have some people from our so-called Bundeswehr who recommend and train the military of Nigeria. We will not act in any military way in Nigeria. Nigeria is a strong country,” he said.
Reaffirming Germany’s partnership with Nigeria, the envoy stressed the importance of unity across religious and ethnic lines in addressing insecurity.
“And I think as long as the people have fear, it’s still a challenge for the whole country, and that means also for the government,” he said.
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