I pray that God will comfort the families of
the bereaved and the entire church of God; and bring healing and
restoration to all the injured. I appeal to relevant agencies of government and
NGOs to provide relief materials to the affected communities. I also appeal for
adequate deployment of security forces to forestall any further attacks.
If not for
reasons of genocide and ethnic cleansing, what could be the reason for such
unprovoked, premeditated, simultaneous and well-coordinated attacks on
Christmas eve against communities that are predominantly Christian. This speaks
volume of the evil intentions of the attackers and their sponsors. It is very clear
that some people have vowed never to allow peace reign on the Plateau.
Reports
indicate that well over 100 people were killed and many injured, with very gory
sights of victims on the hospital with matchet cuts of very beastly inhuman
nature. The attacks were carried out on Sunday 24th December, 2023
between 8.30pm and 12 midnight, a period of almost four (4) hours without any
form of response from the security agencies. The attackers, as was the case in
previous attacks, had enough time to execute their evil plan. In some
communities such as Maiyanga in Bokkos LGA, well over 80 percent of houses and
crops were completely burnt down.
While
commending the Plateau State Governor for his swift response to the attacks,
and doing all he could within his power, in mobilizing security agents as fast as he could, to stem further carnage, these attacks have again
raised a number of questions. How possible is it for such massive and
well-coordinated attacks to take place across two local government areas
without any iota of intelligence? Why did security agencies fail to respond
swiftly despite several distress calls? Why the choice of Christmas eve for the
attacks despite assurances from security agencies to provide adequate security
during the yuletide? Why have these militias been allowed to continue doing their havoc despite the fact
that their enclaves, from where they lunch these heinous attacks, like Mahanga and other such enclaves, are common knowledge to the general populace,
and especially the security agencies? While it is not my intention to draw any
inference, it is pertinent to stress that these are questions that can diminish
public confidence in government’s ability to decisively address insecurity on
the Plateau and other parts of the country. These questions must be
sincerely answered if this tragedy is to be prevented in future.
These
attacks once again call for strategic intelligence, synergy, sincerity of
purpose, commitment and the political will to address insecurity on the Plateau
in particular and the country at large. I urge the government and security
agencies to track, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators and sponsors of this
heinous crime against humanity. The message must be unambiguous that no one is
above the law. The only way to rekindle the hope of Nigerians and build public
confidence in the government is to bring all the criminal elements to book.
Churches
on the Plateau, especially COCIN, ECWA, Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostal
Churches and many others, have lost many
of our members in these attacks. I expect the government for once to take decisive action on this. Romans
13:3-5 states that those in governing authorities, are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment
on the wrongdoers.” Let this be seen to
be the case in the case of Plateau.
As peace-loving Church organizations, COCIN,
ECWA, Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostal and other churches alike, have invested heavily in all positive aspects
of the lives of millions of Nigerians irrespective of their faith and tribes.
It beats our imagination as to why we have been made to constantly face cold
blooded deaths, been constantly subjected to IDP Camps, and our places of
worship and communities outrightly uprooted by those we welcome to live with
us.
I call on
the Federal Government of Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu and his security
outfits to put a stop to this unwarranted menace and others against the Church
in Nigeria and other innocent Nigerians that have been held captive in their
own motherland. There is so much of patience that individuals and communities
can sustain as they have already taken more than their fair share of
buffetings. Also, the government must do
all within its powers to resettle hundreds of thousands of Nigerians practically
sacked from their ancestral homes by these criminal militias and other groups.
Nevertheless,
we as Christians take solace in the fact
that no matter what, ultimately, our God is able to deliver us. No matter how
long it will take, good will always triumph over evil. When the Israelites
faced a similar situation, after several hundreds of years of oppression, maltreatment and genocide by their Egyptian
slave masters, Moses said to them, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will
see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today
you will never see again.” (Exod.14:13).
As we
stand firm to see God’s deliverance, I appeal to all Christians to remain calm,
peaceful and prayerful. Our help will surely come from above, the maker of
heaven and earth, for our God, neither slumbers nor sleeps ( Psalms 121:4).
I pray
that the year 2024 will bring forth greater love, peace, unity and progress for
our beloved country Nigeria.
God bless Plateau.
God bless Nigeria.
In Jesus name!
Rev. (Dr.) Stephen Baba Panya
ECWA
President Worldwide
Head
of Denominational Churches Leaders on
the Plateau
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