The President of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev. Dr. Job Ayuba Bagat, has vehemently condemned the recent coordinated attacks on peaceful residents in the Ratatis community of Dorowa Babuje District in Barkin Ladi and Nzharivo Community in Miango, Bassa Local Government Areas of Plateau State.

The recent attack in Dorowa Babuje claimed 10 lives and that of Nzharivo Miango in Bassa LGA, where one Abbas Musa was also killed, and other coordinated attacks in some parts of the country, the scenario which ECWA president described as a brutal assault on Christianity and humanity in general. 

He called on the government at all levels to urgently intervene.

In a statement issued on Tuesday from the ECWA Headquarters in Jos by the acting Public Relation Officer, Danjuma Dickson Auta, said Rev. Bagat expressed profound sorrow over the tragic loss of lives and the burning of property during the attacks, which occurred over the weekend.

Reports from the affected communities indicate that gunmen stormed Ratatis village on Sunday night, killing several farmers and residents and injuring others, while separate violence was reported in the Miango area of Bassa .

“We are profoundly saddened by the loss of precious lives in Dorowa Babuje and Nzharivo. These coordinated attacks are not just an assault on the individuals and families affected; they are a direct assault on the sanctity of humanity itself,” Rev. Dr. Baggat stated. “We stand in solidarity with the victims, their families, and all those grappling with the unimaginable grief and fear that these acts of terror have sown within our communities” .

Rev. Dr. Baggat called on the Federal Government and Plateau State Government to heighten and sustain efforts to safeguard lives and property. He urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the incidents and ensure that the perpetrators of the violence are swiftly brought to justice to serve as a deterrent .

“The concern shown by the State governor H.E. Barr. Caleb Manaseh Mutfwang is commendable, but we implore the government to rejuvenate the security architecture. We call on the Federal Government to explore lasting modalities to tackle this lingering problem of insecurity. Our communities cannot continue to live under the shadow of death and displacement,” the ECWA President added .

The ECWA leader also advised community members to remain vigilant and observant of security threats in their environments while rejecting ideologies that seek to divide communities along ethnic or religious lines .

He further called on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), religious bodies, and well-to-do individuals to provide emergency assistance to the displaced persons and families who lost their sources of livelihood in the attacks. He prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured and comfort for the bereaved families.

“As followers of Christ, we are called to be peacemakers. We must come together in prayer and action to dismantle ideologies of fear and become champions of love and compassion,” Rev. Dr. Baggat concluded.