…Laments Unprovoked Killings Of Innocent People
The Christian Community in Jos under the aegis of ‘Denominational Leaders on the Plateau’, Monday, organised Street walk from Jos city centre to Government House to denounce the Christmas Eve attacks and killing of Christians numbering over 200 in over 20 communities in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi LGAs of Plateau state.
The Church leaders in Plateau who led their members in thousands on street walk to Jos Government House was led by ECWA President Dr Stephen Baba .
Speaking, Dr Stephen Baba said the entire Christian community in Plateau State has once again condemn in strongest term, the unprovoked, wicked, satanic and genocidal killing of innocent and harmless Christians on Christmas Eve in over 20 communities in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State.
” The timing of these killings on Christmas Eve and during Christmas celebrations has shown that the attackers had clear intentions and objectives, which were to target Christian communities, take them unawares and inflict maximum casualty on them.”
He said, base on an authenticated statistics released so far, the 2023 Christmas Eve Attacks on the Plateau was one of the deadliest and most devastating attacks on the Plateau.
“These attacks were not only Horrific and reprehensible but Incomprehensible.”
” For example, Veronica Malan, a nursing mother was shot through her stomach and the bullet pierced her abdomen and passed through the stomach and back of her 9-month-old baby boy, Godwin. To ensure that they were both dead, they were slaughtered along with 23 others, mostly women in their hideout in Chirang, Mangur District.”
He wondered why a three-year-old baby girl was shot point blank and still lies critically ill at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).
” At the Mbong community, the charred bodies of a woman and her 6 children and relatives set ablaze by the terrorists lie in the ruins of their burnt bedroom.”
He gave the account of those killed in the affected communities to include,32 killed in Butura community and person still missing,Mbar 29 person’s were killed while in Mangor 44 persons were killed with 50 injured and three (3) people still missing).
He added that at Mazat 10 villagers were killed adding that these were Ron people located in Barkin Ladi LGA).
Others that were killed by the invaders he said were 29 killed of Ron in Bokkos while at Tangur community 6 persons were killed and Mushere 2 person’s killed.
” The total number of people massacred in cold blood so far is about 160 and still! counting.” Dr Panya stressed.
He added that Internally displaced People (IDPs) were estimated now to be about 15,000, Eight Churches were burnt down: Baptist, Dares; CAC Mbong; COCIN Maiyanga; COCIN Ndung; COCIN Tahor; CAC Longhair; COCIN, Ngha-buk and COCIN Church Hurum.
” All the Eight Pastoriums in the churches were also burnt down. Two Pastors of Baptist and Assemblies of God
were killed in the attacks.”
“A further breakdown shows that 110 men, 37 Women, 10 Children, and 3 physically challenged persons were burnt in their homes as they were unable to run while a total of 25 Villages were attacked in the well-coordinated military-style assault.”
” The breakdown of the villages according to districts are as follows: Butura (4), Mbar (5), Tangur (4), Bokkos (6), Mushere (1), Mangor (4) and Mazat(1}. Total number of cars and buses destroyed (8), Motorcycles (27) while those stolen by the attackers were 2. The total number of houses burnt is about three hundred and one (301)”
He added that they were not surprised at all that these mindless, senseless and barbaric killings have attracted both local, national and global condemnations. World leaders and international Organisations such as the United Nations that have condemned the killings.
“Pope Francis in his address during the Angelus Prayer on Sunday, December 31%, 2023, said: “Sadly, the celebration of Christmas In Nigeria was marred by serious violence in Plateau State, with many victims.” He prayed for the victims while also trusting that “God will deliver Nigeria from these horrors.
He regretted that for many years, Christians in Plateau State have come under persistent attacks and killings without any decisive action taken to stop the killings.
“In the last 22 years of killings, no serious attackers and their sponsors have been apprehended and properly prosecuted and sanctioned to the best of their knowledge..
“Therefore, over the years, the attackers and their sponsors have become more emboldened to continue in their satanic schemes while Christians are left in pain and sorrow.”
” Our honest desire for Plateau State and Nigeria at large is for the people to enjoy peace, unity, stability and progress.”
As a way out of the unfortunate development, the Plateau Denominational leaders called for timely intervention in the provision of emergency relief in terms of food, water, toiletries, sleeping materials and other such necessities.
“We appreciate the directive given by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to relevant Federal government agencies such as NEMA to mobilise and provide succour to the victims. We also commend the great effort of His Excellency, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang in not only outrightly condemning the attack, but also taking urgent concrete steps in providing food and other necessities to the
displaced survivors in the {DP camps. “
” We unequivocally and emphatically call for an end to these sustained attacks and killings on the Plateau and in Nigeria. We demand immediate justice for the innocent people of Bokkos, Mangu, Riyom, Bassa, Barkin Ladi and other affected communities.
They commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for condemning the dastardly attacks in totality and directing security agencies to go after the culprits and bring them to justice.
They unanimously called on the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice as a matter of urgency, initiate the process of officially proscribing the armed terrorist militias responsible for these mindless killings.
“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Muftwang, to provide adequate security for the 15,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Bokkos who are today located in various temporary Camps and houses of relatives. All communities destroyed should be rebuilt and the displaced people relocated and resettled back in their ancestral homelands as soon as possible.
They also called for an end to the intentional dispossession of land and the current land grabbing through militarization and the activities of these armed militias and bandits which have gone on for too long now in Plateau State, saying records have shown that several indigenous villages have been overtaken by these invaders and the people displaced while some of these villages are currently being occupied by these armed militias.”
They strongly appealled to the Federal Government to establish the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) which they said has become necessary following the frequent attacks and wanton destruction of lives and properties across the zone in the last decade.”
They lamented the massive and unrelenting destruction of lives and properties in the Savannah belt region of the Middlebelt, which has witnessed continuous attacks and killings in Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Niger States; and Southern Kaduna, and there for compelled them to make a strong case for the establishment of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) which they said will help immensely in the rebuilding and rehabilitation process of the affected communities.
Responding, Governor Mutfwang promised Christian leaders and Church members that stormed Goverment House Jos on solidarity that he was going to submit their petition to President Tinubu in few days time .
He promised them that the attackers would be brought to Justice on the Plateau.