Archbishop Welby visits victims of Plateau attacks, says answers are hard to find

Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has visited communities in Plateau State hit by deadly attacks. He told grieving families that there are no easy answers to the violence.

Mr Welby met victims and families in Jos and Bassa local government areas on Tuesday. This visit is part of his work with religious leaders and communities facing years of violence in the state.

At Angwan Rukuba in Jos, families who lost loved ones during the 29 March Palm Sunday attacks shared their stories with the former archbishop. The attacks claimed over 30 lives.

A grieving mother, Favour Ayuba, said she is still looking for answers since the day her only son, Promise, was killed. She said, “Since 29th March till date, I have been asking questions and I have not got any answers.”

Ms Ayuba added that the victims are still dealing with the effects of the attack. She noted that some women who lost their husbands have also died. She asked Mr Welby to keep praying for the affected families and to support efforts to stop the violence.

Another parent, Abdulbasit Abiodun, shared how his first son was shot dead during the attack. He said he was with his son at home on 29 March when the violence began and never saw him alive again.

Mr Welby praised the grieving families for their strength in the face of tragedy. He said he understands the pain of losing a child. He shared his own experience, saying, “A long time ago, when my wife and I were quite young, we had a baby who was killed.”

He explained that victims of violence often ask why these attacks happen. He warned against giving simple answers to those dealing with such deep grief. “We often ask, why? I don’t know the answer,” he said. “There are answers, but they are not good answers. Too often, the answers we give are cheap, easy answers.”

Mr Welby commended members of the affected communities for their support of one another. He urged them to keep caring for those who lost family members. He said he came to Plateau to listen and learn from the communities instead of trying to create solutions from afar.

He stressed that the voices of communities living with violence must be central to efforts to tackle insecurity. “I came to listen to you and to learn,” he said.

The former archbishop is looking into practical ways to help vulnerable communities protect themselves. This includes training locals, improving security infrastructure, and using closed-circuit television systems. He also mentioned early-warning technology being developed in Ukraine, which could help communities get early notice of attacks.

Mr Welby made it clear that he will not make promises he cannot keep. “I cannot promise I will succeed,” he said. “I make no promises because I will not lie to you, but I promise I will try and do my best.”

He encouraged the victims to stay alert while continuing to work and pray for peace. During the visit, the paramount ruler of the Irigwe nation in Bassa Local Government Area, Ronku Aka, said the community has lost over 3,000 people to violence in the last decade.

He called for lasting solutions to insecurity, stating that development will be hard without peace. Mr Welby was joined by Isa El-Buba, Founder of El-Buba Outreach Ministries International, Steve Dangana, Special Adviser on Religious Affairs to Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, and Dunka Gomwalk, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Plateau State.

He also talked with members of the Plateau State Inter-Religious Advisory Council and visited Jos Central Mosque, where he met with Muslim leaders. Earlier, he had visited Governor Caleb Mutfwang.