Adedokun Waliyu 
Pope Francis has extended prayers and condolences to the families of those affected in the Christmas Eve coordinated attack in parts of Plateau State.
It was reported that about 150 people were killed by armed militias in several villages in Barkin Ladi and Bokkos LGAs of the state.
According to the Pope’s message shared by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) on Monday in Abuja, after delivering the Angelus message on Sunday, the Pope spoke about recent violence across the world.
“Unfortunately, the celebration of Christmas in Nigeria was marked by serious violence in the State of Plateau, with many victims. I am praying for them and their families. May God free Nigeria from these atrocities!,” Pope Francis said.
The Catholic Pope also remembered others suffering around the world, including the victims of a tanker truck explosion in Liberia and those caught in the throes of war in Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Sudan, and Rohingya.
He said, “At the end of a year, let us have the courage to ask ourselves: How many human lives have been broken by armed conflict? How many are dead? And how much destruction, suffering, and poverty?”
Pope Francis urged those with interests in these conflicts to heed their conscience and consider the human toll of their actions.
Before his remarks on the recent Plateau State violence, Pope Francis had addressed the beauty of family life, drawing parallels between the struggles of the earthly family of Jesus Christ and those faced by families today.
He delivered a message of solidarity to families in difficulty, saying, “If you are facing difficulties, I know what you are experiencing. I experienced it. I, my mother, and my father experienced it, so we can say to your family too: You are not alone.”
He encouraged families to find comfort in the knowledge that God is intimately familiar with human suffering and challenges.
