Barely one week after arsonists torched a branch of Living Faith Church popularly called Winners Chapel in Giwa, Headquarters of Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the Baptist Church at Gidan Maso village in Rogo Local Government Area of neighbouring Kano State has been set ablaze and the residence of the Pastor, Rev Habila Garba, burnt by irate youths.

The President of Tarayyar Masihiyawan Nijeria (Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri Christians), General Ishaku Ahmed Dikko (retd), told journalists that during the incident, which happened at about 7:30 p.m. on April 1, one of the Pastor’s daughters died of suffocation and most parts of the house destroyed as a result of the fire.

Dikko, in a statement today in Abuja, said that the intention was to kill one youth, Yahaya Joshua, who converted to Islam but later on reverted back to Christianity.

According to Dikko in the statement entitled ‘Another church torched Again’: “The Baptist Church at GIDAN MASO village of Rogo LGA in Kano State was set on fire by youths of the Village on 01 April, 2015 at about 7:30 pm. The Church and all the properties were burnt down in the presence of the Christian Community despite all pleadings for them to stop the destruction. The arsonists gathered cornstalks and put inside the Church in order to cause greater damage. This made the action to seem deliberate and for ulterior motives.

“The Christians present exhibited great Christian qualities by not taking the law into their hands by trying to stop them by force. Rather than the arsonist to see reason, they were infuriated which led to setting the house of the Pastor, Rev Habila Garba, ablaze as well. As a result of the fire, one of the Pastor’s daughters died of suffocation and most of the house destroyed.

“They also attacked and wounded Bawa Adamu and Aminu Dauda, who received machete cuts leading to broken arms. Others received similar wounds but of lesser degrees.

“The cause of the barbaric act was to kill one youth, Yahaya Joshua, who converted to Islam but later on reverted back to Christianity. The youth had escaped on learning of the plan to kill him. They therefore set the Church and Pastor’s house on fire and went about maiming and wounding any Christian they saw. The incidence was immediately reported to the Police and the District Head at Rogo. At the time of filing this report on 3rd April, 2015, no information was received about the action taken or if any arrests were made. However, all the wounded know and can identify their attackers by name since they all belong to the same village.

“The Tarayyar Masihiyawan Nigeriya is calling on the authorities to take the necessary steps to stem or stop all these harassments and molestations of innocent Christians for whatever reasons. We have the right to belong to any religion of our choice and live anywhere in this country. We call on the authorities at all levels to rise up to their responsibilities to protect lives and properties of every citizen in this country.”

•File photo shows a torched church in Northern Nigeria.

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