The Plateau State Baptist Conference has lamented the lack of security forces in the communities attacked, which has paved the way for the attackers to steal valuables from survivors who fled the communities.
Church leadership, which had lost over 50 members including a senior pastor, has so far also identified over 500 displaced members in four centers in metropolitan Jos, the state’s Barkin Ladi, Mangu and Pankshin local governorates.
Recall that the National President of the Nigeria Baptist Convention, Rev. Dr. Isreal Akanji, also in Jos, was to engage with the victims through prayer and financial support.
Shortly after the relief supplies were delivered to the survivors in the four centers, Rev. Koeleh Saleh, Church leader in Plateau State, said: “…This unfortunate bloodbath has hit the Baptist Church hard. In Kantoma, where we have a big church, we lost.” 31 members including one moderator. 23 women became widows as a result of the attack. We lost nine members in Jwak Maitumbi, we lost one member in Kombili.
“Most of our members are displaced in over ten local churches and people are seeking refuge in different places. We have set up four centers: in the metropolis of Jos, a family houses between 10 and 20 people and we have over 200 displaced people in Jos. We have 50 in Barkin Ladi, over 200 in Salama Baptist Church in Mangu and 78 including 44 young children in Bwarak, Pankshin. They are not in any school but we use our local churches to accommodate them.
“In a week, we have spent about 2 million naira to get relief supplies, but it is not enough. Our Baptist partners have supported us with N1M to create N3M but that is still not enough. We provided food, clothes, shoes, mats, blankets, etc.”
Rev. Saleh added: “It is so terrible that something like this would happen and people are in pain, people have been displaced, they have buried the dead that they can bury and they want to go back to their homes but cannot .” . Those living in Kantoma gather at the crossroads to the village and are escorted by security guards so they can quickly look around and see what to pick and leave behind while security leaves too.
“The worrying thing is that the people who attacked have come over to remove their doors, zinc that we are not burned. If we have a guide, the ruins should be protected. This is farming season and the government should consider bringing these people back to their farms. Whatever we do now won’t be forever. The government should realize their responsibility and ensure these people have a safe place to return to their farms.”
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