A branch of the Living Faith Church, popularly called the Winners
Chapel, in Giwa, headquarters of Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna
State, has been set ablaze.
The church, founded by Bishop David Oyedepo, was reportedly set ablaze by two unidentified arsonists.
DailyPost reports that the incident happened on March 20, 2015 at about 2:30pm, and sadly, nothing was saved from the church.
The burning of the church came a few months after the reported endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by Oyedepo.
A
terse statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the President of
Tarayyar Masihiyawan Nijeria (Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri Christians),
General Ishaku Ahmed Dikko (rtd), and the Director of National Issues of
the Christian Association of Nigeria, Sunny Oibe, entitled:
“Presidential Elections 2015: Signs of what to expect,” called on
security agencies to act fast to avoid violence in the area.
According
to Dikko and Oibe, the Christians in the North, particularly the Hausa,
Fulani and Kanuri speaking Christians, who are indigenous in these
states and live within and among their kith and kin, “are in serious
jeopardy”.
The statement reads in full: “Giwa is the Headquarters
of Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State. On Friday, 20 March,
2015 at about 2:30 pm, two (2) unknown hoodlums on a motorcycle drove
into the premises of Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel) and set it
ablaze.
“The Church was razed to the ground and nothing was saved
from the Church including the building. This action surprised the
Christian Community especially the Church members, as there was no
tension or any sign of it between Christians and Muslims in the town.
“It
is, however, a known fact that the people of the Local Government have
not been friendly with the Christian Community even though over 90
percent of them are of the same Huasa-Fulani indigenes.
“The
incident actually became more worrisome when no effort was made by a
passersby to assist in putting out the fire. In fact, it was a Fulani
herdsman that saw the fire and reported to the Police Station. Only one
Policeman and a Christian volunteer that ran to the scene and attempted
to put out the fire but of course could not achieve anything.
“This
situation and the circumstances surrounding the incidence are a cause
of serious concern. If this can happen more than a week to the
Presidential Elections, what shall we expect during or after the
elections? Is this a sign of what to expect or a dress rehearsal of a
repeat of 2011 Post – Election Violence? This is a wakeup call to the
Federal, State and Local Government Authorities,especially the Security
Agencies.”