The Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), an NGO of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos, has donated foodstuffs and other relief items to victims of attacks on Miango and other communities in Irigwe chiefdom in the Bassa Local Government of Plateau.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that several villages in the area were recently attacked, with scores killed while many were injured.
The attackers also razed down many houses and destroyed crops on farmlands in 39 communities of the chiefdom.
Rev. Fr. Stephen Akpe, the Assistant Coordinator of JDPC, who presented the items, said that the gesture was in collaboration with the Menonite Central Committee (MCC), an international organisation.
Akpe said that the gesture was aimed at cushioning the hardship occasioned by the myriad of attacks, killings and wanton destruction of properties visited on the chiefdom in recent times.
The assistant coordinator explained that 520 displaced households would benefit from the gesture.
“JDPC is the social arm of the Catholic Church; we are here on behalf of the entire Catholic community in Jos Archdiocese to first commiserate with you over the recent happenings.
“We have come with some few items as a mark of support to those who are displaced in order to cushion the effect of the hardship they currently facing
“These items cannot be equated with the huge loses you have incurred, but this is just a mark of solidarity, love and to identify with you in your momment of need,” he said.
Akpe called on the affected persons not to lose sight of God even in difficult times, adding that what happened to them should make them rely more on God and shun evil.
He also told the victims that the Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Most Rev. Mathew Audu, had promised to personally visit them “soon”.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Ayuba Change, the Chairman of Irigwe Youth Movement, thanked JDPC and the,entire Catholic community in Jos for the gesture.
A beneficiary, Mrs Elizabeth Chindo, also thanked the donors for the gesture, adding that it would a long way to alleviate their sufferings and that of other beneficiaries. (NAN)
