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. During the incident that happened on
March 20, 2015 at about 2:30pm, 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.
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