By Stefanos Foundation
Tragedy was averted yesterday, 5th May, 2020 when militant Fulani men invaded the residence of Rev. Canon Bayo James Famonure of Messiah College in Ropp District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Visiting the scene of the attack earlier this morning, Stefanos Foundation gathered that at about 8:40pm, yesterday (Tuesday), while the family was having their evening devotion, three armed Fulani young men stormed the house with AK 47, machetes and other weapons.
Stefanos gathered that the attackers forced their way into the room where the reverend and his family were having devotion and demanded that the reverend should give them money. When he replied that there was no money in the house, one of the attackers holding a gun immediately shot the reverend on the head and also on the leg and left him in the pool of his blood.
The attackers, thinking that the reverend was dead, left for the other room where the other family members went in hiding.
The family at that time was struggling to send text massages to friends and neighbors for help when suddenly they heard gun shots on the door. The gunmen found their way into the room and shot two of the reverend’s sons on their legs and also shot his wife on her back.
They then immediately took to their heels when they learnt that the security men were on their way to the house.
After the gunmen left, the reverend, his wife Naomi and his sons who miraculously were all alive but with bullet wounds, were immediately rushed to Barkin Ladi General Hospital. However, due to the magnitude of her injuries, Naomi was later taken to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTh).
A resident of the community, while speaking to Stefanos Foundation says that Uncle Bayo, as they publicly call Rev. Canon Bayo, has been of immense help to the community. He said Uncle Bayo has a good reputation and respect from everyone who knows him.
According to him, recently, the community noticed that the Fulani herdsmen do come to the mission house to graze but they were asked to stop trespassing the compound.
He further narrated that: “Whenever the Fulani came to graze, the elderly one among them usually would stay on the hills watching from a distance with their guns while the younger ones would get the boldness to go graze in the areas they are not supposed to graze. “
According to him, “for fear of being attacked, this law abiding unarmed Community people could only threaten to report the matter to the security personnels if the Fulani do not stop grazing in our community.”
“As godly people and with respect for territorial rights, we simply will not graze our animals within schools, churches or mosques premises. But we wonder why the Fulani will not behave same.”
The Fulani herdsmen have recently been seen carrying arms and are responsible for attacks on ethnic non-Muslim farming communities all over Nigeria, majority of whom are Christian. Many of these communities believe that the Fulani have just resorted to these violence as a jihad (Islamic holy war) against non-Muslims in Nigeria.
Stefanos Foundation celebrates with the Christian community and indeed the family of Rev. Bayo James Famonure for surviving a situation that many have just not been able to.
As the Famonure’s are currently in stable condition, we pray for their quick recovery and God’s protection on them and also on many communities that are still vulnerable to the militant herdsmen at the moment.