Plateau Killings: Intensify Investigations To Fish Out Criminal Elements Without Discrimination –ECWA Tells Security Agencies

By Joseph Edegbo

The Evangelical Church Winning All, (ECWA)  has condemned in its totality, the  killing of 22 persons and injuring of others by some criminal elements along Rukuba Road in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state.

ECWA President, Rev (Dr) Stephen Panya in a statement, describes the situation as heartless, very sad, unfortunate and unacceptable.

ECWA, as a major Church denomination in Nigeria and beyond, he emphasized,  does not subscribe to wastage of human lives and property in line with clear Biblical injunctions.

“We believe in the sanctity of human life, that the life of every human being, no matter one’s tribe, ethnicity or religion is sacred, because every human being is created in the image of God”, Rev Panya said.

A part from the Rukuba killing, Rev Panya tasks security Agencies to also intensify effort in investigating and fishing out those responsible for the Bassa Irigwe massacres from all quarters, without discrimination and make them all face the full wrath of the law.

The statement encourages families and religious bodies to continue to preach and pursue peace and tolerance in the face of these turbulent times adding that those who truly know God and are His children would pursue peace at all cost.

While praying for comfort for the families whose members were so gruesomely murdered and for speedy and total healing for those injured, the Church advised the government to also  take responsibility for the injured in this latest attack that are in the hospitals.

HERE UNDER IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE PRESS RELEASE :–

On  behalf of Evangelical Church

1. I bring you greetings from the ECWA Executive and ECWA family worldwide.
2. Suffice it to say that Nigeria has continued to witness terrible, unnecessary, and avoidable deaths, the most recent in Plateau State being killing of passengers along Rukuba Road by criminal elements. This is coming when the storm  of the killings in Irigwe land in Bassa LGA by alleged herdsmen is yet to die down.
3. It  is  very sad and most unfortunate that killings have persisted, in spite of the commendable initial response and effort of the Plateau State Governor, in mobilizing the various security arms, to stem the tide of the  unrest and killings.
4. ECWA, as a major Church denomination in Nigeria and beyond, does not subscribe to wastage of human lives and property in line with clear Biblical injunctions against such. We believe in the sanctity of human life, that the life of every human being, no matter one’s tribe, ethnicity or religion is sacred, because every human being is created in the image of God.
5. We therefore condemn in its totality, the reported killing of some quoted 22 persons and injuring of others by some criminal elements along Rukuba Road in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state. This is  simply unacceptable.
6. We call on all to avoid taking laws into their hands and to report any suspicious person (s) to law enforcement authourities for appropriate response and necessary  action.
7. We urge security agencies, to intensify effort in investigating and fishing out such bad and criminal elements responsible for the Bassa Irigwe massacres and the Rukuba road killings  from all quarters, without discrimination and make them all face the full wrath of the law.
8. On  behalf of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) worldwide, we pray for comfort for the families whose members were so gruesomely murdered and for speedy and total healing for those injured. We call on the government to also  take responsibility for the injured in this latest attack that are in the hospitals.
9. Families and religious bodies must continue to preach and pursue peace and tolerance in the face of these turbulent times. Those who truly know God and are His children would pursue peace at all cost; for blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
10. We  reiterate that as a church, we shall continue to work with the government at all levels, NIREC, security agencies and all other  agencies  for the peace and progress of Plateau State  and Nigeria at large.

Signed,

Rev. (Dr) Stephen Baba Panya

ECWA President.