Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has visited communities affected by deadly attacks in Nigeria’s Plateau State, telling grieving families there are “no easy answers” to the violence.
Mr Welby met victims and relatives in Jos and Bassa local government areas on Tuesday.
Prophet Isa El-Buba, who accompanied Mr Welby, said the visit was intended to allow the former archbishop to hear directly from victims and understand the impact of the violence.
“We wanted him to hear directly from the victims themselves about what they need, not what we assume they need,” Mr El-Buba said in a post on Facebook.
The former archbishop spoke about his own experience of losing a child and said he understood the continuing pain faced by bereaved parents.
“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.”
He said he had come to Plateau to listen to affected communities and explore practical ways to improve their security, including training local people, improving security infrastructure, installing CCTV and using early-warning technology.
“I cannot promise I will succeed,” Mr Welby said. “I make no promises because I will not lie to you, but I promise I will try and do my best.”
The visit comes as concerns over violence against Christians in Nigeria remain high. Open Doors ranks Nigeria seventh on its 2026 World Watch List, which tracks the 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. The organisation says hundreds of Christians were killed, kidnapped or displaced in Nigeria during its latest reporting period.
But the violence in Plateau also has wider dimensions, with local leaders pointing to communal tensions, displacement and insecurity affecting both Christian and Muslim communities. During his visit, Mr Welby called for practical cooperation between Christian and Muslim leaders to help protect vulnerable communities.
Mr Welby also met religious leaders at the Jos Central Mosque and members of the Plateau State Inter-Religious Advisory Council.
The visit comes after Mr Welby stepped down as Archbishop of Canterbury in January 2025 following criticism over his handling of allegations of abuse linked to the Church of England. He has since taken on work focused on reconciliation and conflict resolution. The Telegraph reported in April that he was seeking to establish himself as a reconciliation expert.