On Monday, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Plateau State organized a rally to express its discontent with the ongoing violence in the state and other parts of the country. Led by the state’s CAN chairman, Rev Polycarp Lubo, and accompanied by the President of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev Dr Stephen Panya, the rally, named ‘Plateau Peace Walk,’ aimed to address the concerning issue.
Members of the Christian community in Plateau State, visibly distressed, mourned the Christmas Eve killings of their loved ones in Jos, the state capital, on January 8, 2024.
Prominent Christian leaders, including the President of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Rev Dr Amos Mohzo; Bishop of Methodist Church, Jos, Rev Nkechi Nwosu; and Rev. Gideon ParaMallam, joined the rally, highlighting the collective concern of the Christian community in the state.
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang welcomed the gathering at the Government House, Rayfield, Jos. The state has witnessed a surge in violence, with over 200 casualties during a Christmas Eve attack in the Bokkos and Barkin Ladi local government areas. Numerous houses and farmlands were destroyed, and many were injured during the overnight attacks.
The orchestrated violence prompted local and international condemnation, with the governor criticizing the military for a delayed response and denouncing the incidents as a massacre. More than 50 villages were reportedly affected, leading the United Nations to call for a comprehensive investigation by the Federal Government.
Vice President Kashim Shettima visited the affected communities, and while the Federal Government pledged to end the menace of bloodshed, the affected people demand concrete actions and protection against aggressors rather than mere promises.
Bandit militias have long terrorized North-West and central Nigeria, operating from forest bases to loot and kidnap residents for ransom. The competition for natural resources between nomadic herders and farmers, coupled with rapid population growth and climate pressures, has intensified social tensions and sparked violence.
Despite renewed calls for citizens to bear arms for self-defense, Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja believes the Nigerian Army can defend the country, expressing concerns that widespread self-defense could lead to anarchy.
