Just Like the Biblical Job whose life provides a blueprint for how to navigate the emotional turmoil experienced in response to life’s ups and downs and depending on God, 45-years old Pastor Gideon Dawel of COCIN LCC Mbar, RCC Bokkos, Plateau State says his recent multiple tragedies made him question God’s existence even as a pastor. Narrating the faith-threatening disaster that befell him on Christmas Eve in Mbar, Bokkos Local Government of Plateau State when Suspected Fulani herdsmen burnt down his pregnant wife, and five children in the room, Pastor Gideon couldn’t hide his feelings when he asked “God, how could you love me and allow evil men to hurt me this bad?”
Sharing his Pains to Sunday Telegraph at the internally Displaced person Camps at RCC Bokkos, Pastor Dawel, said: “The moment I saw the corpse of my pregnant wife and five children burnt to ashes, I was in severe pain and wasn’t in my senses, then I asked if God existed why did he allow such in my life”. Pastor Gideon Dawel said: “What happened that day on the 24th of December 2023, I was home in Mbar Bokkos with my family. Two of my daughters had returned home on Christmas break. The eldest was already schooling at College of Health Zawan, while others were in the secondary school. They came home for a Christmas celebration.
“I was also home after we had returned from butchering cows for the Christmas preparation. So around 6 pm, I saw from afar, a large number of cattle, so I quickly called one Fulani man that I knew within the village and asked him if I saw a lot of cattle in his jam-packed place. What was happening?” “Then he told me that Fulanis came from other places, but there was no problem, but we kept vigilant of the environment as we normally do. However, we didn’t know there was a plan to attack us, having been outside our houses maintaining vigilance on the environment, then the bandits descended on the community around 7 to 8 pm.
“Our women were cooking and frying meat for the next day, Christmas. So, the distance between us and our houses was not far, but we started hearing sophisticated gunshots. We alerted our families to run and hide because going back home without any weapon in our hands was dangerous. We heard the attackers from afar chanting in “’Hausa, Allah Kubar.”’ “So, we couldn’t return home. There’s nothing I could do to go back home, because after the Fulani environment, the next place is the church. So, we hid in the bush, thinking my family had run away, but they couldn’t run, so they locked themselves inside, when the attackers came and couldn’t open the door, so they burnt my pregnant wife and five children. “The moment I discovered that the next day I came, I looked at the corpse of my children, I didn’t know how the thought came to me and I regretted being a Christian.
Then I asked why God allowed such a thing to happen to me. My whole family, the money that I had. There is nobody with me now. “We bought maize; we stored the maize that I harvested all my belongings, everything was burned down. That’s why in pain then I asked if God existed why did he allow such to happen to his servant? But I said that in pain be- cause of what has happened to me. Thank God for the men of God who have encouraged me, the church and the leaders have encouraged me; their prayers have assisted me. “Men of God have visited me, came close to me, consoled me, talked to me, advised me, prayed for me and I want to give thanks to God, I know.
God is faithful in all He did. God remains God. People have been telling me that my story is like that of Job, and I should have faith in Him. I indeed appreciate CAN, Church leaders in Plateau State, and all men of God for praying for me and others affected, the church has asked me to rest for one year without pastoring a church for now to get away from the trauma in me, but God grace has been helping me and I will overcome it. “You can see the clothes I am putting on, everything I have today was given to me by people of God, spirited individuals, God who is faithful, will help me. I want to appeal to the government to help those who were affected, they are currently grounded financially, have no hope, and have houses burnt. Many things gone.
They should come and support them. I have, however, reaffirmed my faith in God despite the hard experience and appreciated the church and pastors for standing by me.” Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Plateau State Chapter and Heads of denominations in Plateau State have visited the IDP Camps in Bokkos and donated relief materials to survivors of Christmas Eve bandits’ attacks which took place in over 20 villages of Bokkos and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State. Sunday Telegraph reports that the December attacks left over 23,000 people homeless with property worth millions of Naira destroyed which led to the establishment of 13 IDP Camps, which led the Catholic Church through Caritas Nigeria to bring succour to the IDP Camps in Bokkos Local Government Area of the state.
Leading the delegation, ECWA President Rev. Dr. Stephen Panya Baba who doubles as CAN President and the Chairman of CAN Plateau State Very Rev. Fr. Polycarp Lubo said the visit aimed to encourage the Christians who were displaced and to give them hope that God has not abandoned them as well as donate relief materials and provide the assistance gather from all the churches to help those affected as the government cannot handle all the issues alone. Other Christian Leaders who were part of the delegations include Rev. Dr. Para Mallam of the Para-Mallam Foundation, COCIN President Rev. Dr. Amos Mozho, Methodist Bishop of Jos Dioceses Rt. Rev. Dr Nkechi Nwosu and the Anglican Bishop of Bukuru Dioceses Rt Revd Jwan Zhumbes amongst others. Rev. Panya said those Christians displaced from their ancestral homes are in about 13 IDP camps in Bokko alone.
“We have visited the IDP camps to comfort them, to strengthen their faith, to let them know that we believers are standing with them, and also to encourage them to stand in their faith and to pray for even the conversion of these people that are doing these terrible things. “Because though these people claim they know God, the truth is that nobody who knows the true God will be doing such evil and committing such terrible atrocities. We will pray for their conversion so that they will encounter God. The CAN Chairman of Plateau State, Very Rev. Fr. Poly- carp Lubo, maintained that Christians will no longer accept an assault on innocent communities, adding that what happened in Bokkos on Christmas Eve was a threat to the nation’s harmony and shared values. “We will continue to condemn these acts of attacks in various communities of Plateau in the strongest possible terms.
The burning down of houses, and worship centres, and the destruction of properties worth millions of Naira is not only a criminal act but also a direct assault on our shared values of peace, unity, and mutual respect.” Rev. Fr. Lubo said the relief materials donated to the IDPs on behalf of all Christians in the state include 10 bags of Garri, five bags of beans, 25 bags of maize, 20 bags of rice, and five bags of Sugar. Other items are 10 cartons of pomade, 10 cartons of beauty soap, 10 cartons of detergent, cartons of Good Mama, two 25 litres of Palm oil and three bags of clothes. Some of the victims applauded the Church leaders for its timely intervention. Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of Bokkos, His Royal Highness Saf Lawrence Aizat commended CAN for the visitation and thanked them for the donations of relief materials. He said: “On behalf of the good people of Bokkos Local Government, I would like to say once again thank you for your generosity and kind gesture, May the Almighty God continue to protect us all ,Amen”
