Over 50 Killed within Days as Terrorists Launch Fresh Attacks on Communities Under Nigerian Catholic Diocese

He says that in the recent wave of attacks, thousands have fled their homes, a majority finding shelter at St. Thomas Catholic Parish in Bokkos.

Most of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Bishop Gokum says, have lost everything in the unfortunate incidents. 

He says that St. Thomas Catholic Parish in Bokkos has registered over 1,000 IDPs from different church denominations. 

The Catholic Bishop goes on to recount his April 7 visit to the IDP camp at St. Thomas Catholic Parish in Bokkos, saying, “At the time of my visit, the only help the IDPs had received was from the Diocese of Pankshin.”

He thanks the security forces who helped in no small way to mitigate the situation. According to the Bishop, the killings “would have been much worse” had authorities not intervened. 

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Appealing to security agencies in the Nigerian State to protect residents especially in ungoverned areas, Bishop Gokum says, “The rainy season is already upon us and these farmers who are in the IDP camps are supposed to be the ones to farm to feed themselves and the nation. Our political leaders must stop the rhetoric and show leadership.”

“The people have suffered enough at the hands of terrorists, kidnappers, and criminal elements,” he says.

The Nigerian Catholic Bishop, who has been at the helm of Pankshin Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in June 2014 says that the primary purpose of any leadership, especially of a political nature, is the security of lives and property of the people. “Anything short of this is unacceptable,” he says.

“The perpetrators of these heinous acts should face the full extent of the law instead of the kids' gloves they appear to be treated with,” Bishop Gokum says.

Nigeria has been battling with a surge of violence orchestrated by gangs, whose members carry out indiscriminate attacks, kidnapping for ransom, and in some cases, killing.

The West African nation has also been experiencing the Boko Haram insurgency since 2009, a group that aims to turn Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, into an Islamic country.

In his April 7 statement, Bishop Gokum appeals for continued prayers for the souls of the dead, the injured, and the displaced people in IDP camps across Bokkos Local Government Area.

The Catholic Bishop of Pankshin further calls on all people of goodwill to support victims of the terrorist attack in the embattled region, saying, “In the spirit of Lent and corporal works of mercy take concrete steps to alleviate the pains and sufferings of these victims.”

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.