By Ishaya Ibrahim
Acting News Editor
Members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Lord’s Chosen, both in Rafin Tsanyi, a suburb in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, were woken up by bulldozers of the state government on Wednesday January 11, 2017 pulling down their church structures, the first of its kind since the creation of the state in 1991.
The demolition was confirmed by the local pastor of the Redeemed Church, Pastor Tobi, who declined further comment but referred our reporter to the church’s central authority.
Efforts to get the comment of his counterpart at the Lord’s Chosen were difficult as at press time.
Coming on the heels of suspected Fulani herdsmen attacks against Christian communities in Southern Kaduna, and the alleged mishandling of the crisis by the Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, the demolition of the two churches by the Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Badaru, is being viewed by many Christians as official war against the Christians by northern governors.
The Jigawa State government could not be reached for its comment as at press time, but Muslim neighbours of the two churches who spoke to our reporter argued that the churches lack the permit to erect their worship centres at the area, even though the two churches had been standing for more than five years and had no fuss with the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration of the state.
A resident who pleaded not to be mentioned said that there had been growing disenchantment with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governor, Abubakar Badaru, over his non-performance. “He has not done anything since he came in. He suddenly realised that 2019 is around the corner so I strongly think that this anti-Christian action he took was aimed at warming himself in the heart of the Muslim majority in the state to see him as a true defender of Islam,” he said.
