By Janet Nyajon Audu,
Jalingo
The Christian Reformed Church Of Nigeria (CRCN) has expressed worries over the ongoing killing of residents in Southern part of Taraba State.
It also lamented that the high level insecurity in the area has exposed many people to hardship.
The National President of CRCN, Rev Caleb Ahima, who is also the National Vice President of CAN, condemned the killings in Jalingo.
He said that
the destruction of lives and property between Ichen and Tiv ethnic groups in the southern zone of the Taraba State was uncalled for.
He therefore called for the deployment of more security operatives to the crisis area to restore normalcy and give the people a sense of protection.
Represented by his Vice, Rev. Isiah Jirapye Magaji expressed concern that a lot of people had been rendered homeless hence the need for the government to come to their rescue.
His words: “It is no longer news that some communities in Donga and Bali local government area of Taraba State are passing through crises particularly between Tiv/Ichen people. CRCN as a church is not happy with the crisis that erupted between the people that once lived happily together carrying economic activities. The church is sad over the crisis because this is the time the entire world is facing a global pandemic, the Covid-19, which is ravaging global communities and wondered why people of the same faith will get to the extent of destroying lives and properties worth millions of naira.’’
According to Jirapye, both parties are supposed to be vigilant in prayers and supporting each other in accordance with the teaching of scriptures which outline killing and shedding of blood as a sin against God.
He further stated that the raining season has just commenced and the people are expected to be in farm and not to be chasing each other with guns.
While condemning the killing and destruction going on in the zone, the cleric described it as barbaric and callous.
He, therefore, appealed to the warring factions to lay down their arms and embrace peace as it’s the only path to prosperity.
He also employed stakeholders of the two tribes to call their youth to order and ensure that they immediately cease all form of hostilities, and sheath their swords. Our correspondent reports that as at the time of filling this reports, killings were still going on in Donga even as the Tiv militia attacked a Pansoki in Donga on Sunday morning and a pastor with Praise Chapel, Adashu Tsojon, was killed and beheaded in his farm while his wife and children narrowly escaped in Rafin-Kada in Wukari Local Government Area.