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The premises of the Archbishop of Jos was breached overnight by suspected Fulani Herdsmen days after he was appointed General Secretary of GAFCON for the Anglican Church worldwide.
Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi, who was named GS just this week after a meeting in Israel attended by hundreds of Anglican leaders from around the world, is believed to have recently returned to Nigeria only for this attack to occur.
The clergyman posted on his Facebook page decrying attacks and insecurity in spite of a curfew announced following last weekend’s massacre of at least 238 people.
Archbishop Kwashi also lamented the death of a driver during last night’s attack:
“Adamu Dung.
“A simple driver of a COCIN chairman…
“Has a family a wife and children, living in an uncompleted house of his own. The doors and widows waiting to be bought to be fixed. He had hopes of finishing his house and living peacefully with his family.
“The story changed last night…
“He was shot through the head because he flashed his light when he heard footsteps of cattle being rustled…
“The cows were mine…😭😢
“Adamu was killed…
“He is no threat…
“He is an ordinary citizen struggling with life and doing every honest job to make ends meet.
“When I saw the widow and the house I could not help myself, my tears flowed freely and my heart shattered! I still carry the image of the house, the widow and the children…
“And Adamu died…killed by rustlers in front of his house!!!
“Many blood, blood, blood, blood…”
Archbishop Kwashi is beloved in the Plateau community where he runs orphanages for hundreds of orphans of the various attacks in Nigeria.
In previous years he and his family were attacked and his wife Gloria shot in the head miraculously surviving and recovering well since.
Ironically just the day before, during the UK House of Lords debate on Nigeria, Baroness Cox had quoted Archbishop Kwashi saying “Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi, who had taken custody of a baby whose mother was killed, said:
“I am in tears because I have taken a child whose mother was shot dead. A family of four killed, another two young men shot dead and so on …
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“Where are those who will protect the poor? Where is the leadership?
“It is a week and three days now with daily killings of poor unarmed and unprotected citizens of Plateau State”. “
Little did he expect that the attack would come his way within hours.
We denounce the attack on the Archbishop which could likely have been worse had his neighbor Ayuba not intercepted the rustlers and been killed in the process thus causing them to flee.
In addition to massacres, the Killer Herdsmen have been widely responsible for brigandage, abductions and rustling in the Middle-Belt area.
The daughter of a local chief and a political party leader are amongst those abducted for ransom by Herdsmen in Plateau this year.
Two years ago, killer herdsmen abducted a Catholic priest Rev Father John Adeyi in Benue State but still killed him despite collecting a ransom.
Despite arrests and confessions, there are no known convictions.
In a related development, the death toll of my relatives killed in last weekend’s massacre has now risen to six. Two other relatives who were visiting them from Benue State were also killed.
Although they have been buried, a traditional gun salute for the deceased will take place at our village Igumale, Ado Local Government Benue State in memory of them at dusk tonight.
Since the entire family was wiped out, there’s no one to enquire from in the family to actually give concrete information as to what transpired.
The police said the victim was attacked in his house with his family. Mr Unogwu Ebiega with his wife who is pregnant tried to escape but later shot along the road while his two children were killed on their beds as they slept.
Below are there names of the victims and their ages.
- Unogwu Ebiega-Aged 43 years
- Unogwu (boy)-Aged 4 years
- Oriefi (girl) -Aged-6 years
- Biskila Unogwu (pregnant wife)-Aged-32 Years
May the souls of the Unogwus, Adamus and others slain rest in peace.
We continue to search for orphans and survivors whom we had helped after previous attacks and who returned to Barkin Ladi in Plateau State only to be attacked once again after resettling.
Much like the Northeast, many in the Middle-Belt are now experiencing multiple attacks.
By Emmanuel Ogebe, Esq
Justice for Jos Project
