The Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), has tasked security agencies to fish out those behind the killing of 23 passengers on Saturday in Jos and the massacre in communities in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau state.
In a statement on Sunday, President of ECWA Rev. Stephen Panya condemned the Jos killings, saying the church does not subscribe to wastage of human lives and property.
Panya urged security agencies, to intensify efforts in investigating and fishing out those behind the Jos killings and the Bassa Irigwe massacres without discrimination and bring them to justice.
The statement reads: “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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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)
“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.”
