The Plateau Club 1921 Jos has shown heartwarming compassion by reaching out to the displaced victims of Bokkos in Plateau State. They were attacked, injured, and killed by some terrorists three months ago on Christmas Eve, and the club wanted to offer them some comfort in the midst of their misery.
After a horrific terrorist attack on December 24, 2018, which left over 20 communities in the Bokkos LGA completely destroyed and forced a large number of families to flee their homes and livelihoods in favour of IDP camps, the Group made the decision to provide food and other necessities to the victims.
Pam Dung Gyang, Chairman of the Plateau Club 1921Jos’ Board of Trustees, presented materials for relief to the affected victims on behalf of the Club’s members, stating that they had carefully taken steps to alleviate IDPs’ suffering.
Gyang, represented by Sunday Jesmiel, stated that the Club’s membership is diverse in terms of religion and ethnicity, since its driving ideology is to reach out to the most disadvantaged in society.
“The rationale behind this noble gesture is to remember our brothers and sisters that were been devastated by the attacks from unknown persons. We felt that we should come and commensurate with them and render our hands of love for their wellbeing.”
As the farming season approaches, he said, “there is a need for Government to provide adequate security to guarantee their smooth return.” He called on the government to intensify its priority in ensuring that the internally displaced people were resettled back to their ancestral homes. Since we cannot achieve food security without security, the government constantly promotes food security.
“Honestly, if Government can resettle these people back to their communities they will be happy and we the citizens will as well rejoice with them”, he stated.
Mandong Bitrus, a reverend and vice chairman of the Bokkos IDP Central Committee, bemoaned that his people had been devastated not by anonymous gunmen but rather by “herders that they know, live with them, and when they see them they can identify them and even mention their names.” He expressed gratitude to the members of the Plateau Club 1921 Jos for their efforts to alleviate the effects of hunger among displaced persons. According to him, about 19,000 people were displaced throughout the 13 different IDP camps in Bokkos LGA as a result of an invasion of about 30 communities.
He said “right now we have about 7, 165 who were mostly badly affected in the camp. That is those that their homes were completely burnt down.
“The situation of IDPs is very bad because their homes and businesses were destroyed within a tinkling of an eye. Their situation is terrible but we thank God for using well spirited Nigerians and none governmental organizations all over the world, because of what happened to us they have come to our aid, and that is what made the people a little bit comfortable and also help them to get over the trauma of displacement.”
“The rain has started setting, we pray God to grant the government and security agents the power to ensure they return displaced persons to their ancestral homes.”.
