…visits community, donates relief materials

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, DIGC, Worldwide, Pastor Paul Enenche, has lamented the attack on Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state that claimed over 200 lives, saying it is time for the people to take their destinies in their own hands by protecting themselves and their communities from armed bandits.

He stated that one of the solutions to check the incessant killings and the spate of insecurity in the country is to have leaders who would not wish to perpetuate themselves in power and negotiate away the lives and welfare of their people.

Dr. Enenche who spoke in Yelewata shortly after visiting the survivors and donating relief materials to them which included bags of rice, noodles and mattresses among other items, also said it was pertinent for Nigeria, as a nation to ask forgiveness of God, to cleanse and have mercy on the country and give the nation a leadership that feels and have compassion for its people, a leadership that is devoid of political sentiments.

He said, “We are on a mission to Benue State in the wake of the very horrific and almost like a genocidal pogrom in the land that resulted in the death and burning of so many people alive. We see the climate of doom, the climate of death, the climate of darkness. The grief, the pain and the hurt in the land and particularly in the nation.

“We came on a condolence visit to the land (Benue), we came on a solidarity visit; to stand with our people and to let them know that light will never bow for darkness and darkness will never triumph over light.”

Dr. Enenche noted “the solution to this type of issue is the will in the heart of the leadership of our nation, both at the federal and state levels, to have authorities and leadership that have the will to do the right thing, that have the heart for the people, to put anything political aside and look at realities and to say, this is the real situation on ground.

“A leadership that value human lives, above every other consideration and do what is right, in the interest of the people, in the interest of their consciences and in the fact that one day everybody will stand before God to give account of their lives to God.

“We want to trust God, for national leadership that has a heart for people; national leadership that are not in position because they want position or because they want a name; national leadership that has compassion.

“So, we need to as a whole nation beg God that whatever we did that has made us to consistently have people that have no heart for the people; let God forgive us and have mercy on us and give us leadership that feels for people; leadership that will put political considerations aside; political permutations and negotiations and will not negotiate away the welfare of people, negotiate away the lives of people, only because of perpetuation.”

Dr. Enenche advised that “the various legislatures, both the national and the state (lawmakers) must make laws that forbid this kind of devil from going to territories to kill people. What is the use of lawmakers sitting to administer over territories and nations that produce no results?

“What is the use of sitting and making laws that are irrelevant or making no laws at all? Let nobody think that they will be where they are forever, because a time will come when they will be out of office. So everybody in one position or the other will come down one day and will face this reality, if it is not tackled today. Therefore, it is better for the leadership at all levels to wake up now and do something about it.

“What kind of nation is this? Where there is almost zero heart for the feelings and aspirations of the people,” he lamented.

Enenche reiterated that “It is time for the people to wake up, rise up and to say enough is enough, we will take our destiny in our hands, wherever possible. I believe that those two things will work together to bring solution.”

“What we also need is action on the part of the various territories of the land, where people will say, you know what? We cannot watch ourselves wasted like this, we cannot watch our communities wasted like this. Whatever we need to do, we will do it by ourselves to ensure that we secure our territories.

“And the various communities, whatever can be done to ensure that you are not defenceless. It is highly encouraged and highly suggested and necessary at this stage. It is not a battle for comfort, but a battle for survival and people must do what it takes to ensure they survive.

“This man standing here had seven children; six of them were killed by these devils in one night. He is left with only one child now; we have others like that. This one (holding on to one of the victims’ family members close to him) lost his wife and child in one night and he’s here today, because he travelled; if not, he would probably not be here today.”

And to the grieving families, he said, “It (the incident) is so heartbreaking, only God knows your pain. Nobody can say I understand, nobody understands, only God understands and the God who understands will comfort you, will console you, will give us solace and continue to give us answers to this situation.”