More than six years after the attack that claimed lives and properties worth millions of Naira destroyed at Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church, Madalla in Niger State and other Christian worship centres in northern states, the Nigerian government is yet to compensate victims of insurgent attacks.
The Catholic Bishop of Kaduna Diocese, Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, disclosed this after a two-day conference of Catholic Bishops of Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province at the St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral, Bosso road, Minna, Niger State.
After the Catholic Bishops’ Provincial meeting comprising Sokoto, Jigawa, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi states, Arch Bishop Ndagoso said that it was unfortunate that the government never compensated victims of the attack thereby painting a picture of a particular religion being favoured above others.
“The first terrorist attack on Christian place of worship was in Niger State at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Madalla on December 25, 2011. Again, last year some suspected Muslim youths attacked St. Philips Catholic Church, Baku-Uku near Suleja town and destroyed properties valued at several millions of Naira.
“We want to inform you and the entire world that we have not received any support from the federal government for the churches since the Madalla attack and other attacks on Christian places of worship in the North East”, Arch Bishop Ndagoso said.
The federal government, he said, was responsible for giving assistance to the churches and other victims of such attacks on law-abiding citizens, adding, “Government’s failure to stem attacks on places of worship was responsible for the attacks and government should therefore be responsible for giving assistance to victims”.
Ndagoso, whose house was destroyed during one of the attacks, said that he was not happy that government has not come hard on attackers of Christian places of worship.
According to him, the government was directly promoting religious intolerant against provisions of the 1999 constitution by its silence on the plight of the churches destroyed in the north.
“In my case I can tell you that I was away when my house was destroyed in Maiduguri nothing came out of the house and the church, nobody has compensated me and the church. I can tell you, the church has not been happy with the destruction of our places of worship and the way the federal government has handled the matter”.
The cleric enumerated part of hostilities against non-Muslims in the north to include; plans being perfected by governments in most northern states to stop Christians from evangelizing by deliberately refusing to issue Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) for lands meant for the building of churches.
Despite the fact that Christians have remained peaceful in conducting their affairs in all its activities, Arch Bishop Ndagoso said that it was saddening that the government has never respected the provisions of the Nigerian constitution, which provides for freedom of religious belief and worship.
“The governors are not giving certificate of occupancy for churches all the churches you see around got their certificates of occupancy before 1960. Sad enough if you have to buy land for church building you have to use a surrogate or third party,” Ndagoso declared.
As part of measures to promote religious tolerance among all Nigerians, Ndagoso urged the federal government to call all the governors promoting religious intolerance to order because the constitution provided for equal treatment for all Nigerians notwithstanding their religious beliefs.
The Kaduna Catholic Diocese Biship also made a case for a policy that will provide for only persons that are qualified by age, medically fit and who is willing to provide selfless service for Nigerians to contest and be voted for in the 2019 general elections.
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