The conference noted that the poor security situation has encouraged the attackers to return to steal valuables belonging to the survivors who had fled the communities.
The Church’s leadership, which lost over 50 members, including a senior pastor, said it has identified more than 500 displaced members in four locations across the state, that include – the Jos metropolis, Barkin Ladi, Mangu, and Pankshin local government areas.
Meanwhile, the National President of the Nigeria Baptist Convention, Rev’d Dr. Israel Akanji has visited Jos to offer prayers and financial assistance to the victims of the attack.
Similarly, the church leader in Plateau State, Rev. Koeleh Saleh who delivered relief materials to survivors in four locations lamented the serious impact of the attack on the Baptist Church, particularly in Kantoma, where the church lost over 31 members, including a Moderator.
The attack, it was learnt, also left 23 women widowed, even as the church body further claimed to have lost nine members in Jwak Maitumbi and another member in Kombili.
Saleh while expressing his grief over the attack and the pain it has caused lamented, “Most of our members are displaced in over 10 local churches, and people are taking refuge in different places. We have located four centres in the Jos metropolis, a family is hosting between 10 to 20 people, and we have over 200 displaced persons in Jos. We have 50 in Barkin Ladi, over 200 in Salama Baptist Church in Mangu and 78 others that included 44 little children at Bwarak, Pankshin. They are not in any school but we use our local churches to accommodate them.
“Within one week, we have spent about N2m to get relief materials, but this is not enough. Our Baptist partners assisted us with N1m to make it N3m, but it is still not enough. We provided foodstuffs, clothing, shoes, mats, blankets etc”, he informed.
Saleh revealed further that many people have been displaced, and they cannot return to their homes because of the danger. He explained that in Kantoma, the people usually have to gather at the village junction to wait for security personnel to escort them to quickly collect their belongings before leaving.
Saleh who also alleged that the attackers returned to remove the doors and zinc that were not burnt, called on the government to protect the ruins and ensure that people return to their farms, especially since it is the farming season.
He tasked the government to fulfill its responsibility of providing a safe environment for the people.
