SaharaReporters on Tuesday reported that a religious crisis started during which a branch of the Church of Christ In Nations (COCIN) in the state was set ablaze by some hoodlums.
Former vice president of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the reported killings and violence that occurred in the ongoing religious crisis in the Mangu area of Plateau State.
SaharaReporters on Tuesday reported that a religious crisis started during which a branch of the Church of Christ In Nations (COCIN) in the state was set ablaze by some hoodlums.
SaharaReporters learnt that rampaging armed men torched church buildings and attacked those perceived to be Christians in Mangu, Plateau State, forcing residents to flee for their lives.
It was further gathered that the unrest persisted till Wednesday as some men armed with machetes continued to attack and kill residents of the state.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) chairman of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Rev Timothy Daluk, had also accused the Nigerian military of killing three of his members amid the ongoing religious crisis in the area.
Reacting, in a post he made via X on Thursday afternoon, Atiku described the incidents that happened in Plateau as threats to national unity, adding the relevant security agencies should ensure peace is restored back to the affected areas immediately.
He said, “I am deeply saddened by the violence and killings in the Mangu local government of Plateau State despite the imposition of a 24-hour curfew. This heinous act of violence, where innocent lives are being brutally snatched away, homes set ablaze, and communities thrown into chaos, is a direct affront to the values of peace and unity that we hold dear.
“It is imperative that our security agencies exhibit a higher degree of pro-activeness, particularly in light of the recurring incidents of banditry in Plateau and across various parts of the country. The apparent lack of anticipation and preventive measures against such crises is a matter of grave concern. It is high time that our security forces rise to the occasion, ensuring the safety and well-being of our citizens.
‘Even as I call for peace, I stand in solidarity with the victims and their families during this difficult time. Let us all come together to ensure that such tragedies are not repeated.”
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