Pope Leo on Sunday expressed deep sorrow over what he called a “terrible massacre” in Benue State, Nigeria, offering prayers for the victims.

Reports indicate that over 200 people were brutally murdered in Yelewata, a community in Guma Local Government Area, in one of the latest violent attacks attributed to herdsmen in the region.

During his Sunday Angelus address at St. Peter’s Square, the Pope noted that many of the victims were internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had sought refuge at a Catholic mission, making the tragedy even more devastating.

“I am praying for security, justice, and peace in Nigeria,” he said. “I hold in my heart the rural Christian communities of Benue State, who continue to suffer from ongoing violence.”