Causes of the Bauchi State Religious Killing

INDICATOR TO THE VIOLENCE

Bauchi, a city once described as business friendly was thrown into a religious carnage on Friday 21st February 2009. Eye witnesses said the crisis, though seems to have no cause started on the 13th February 2009. Our reporter gathered that the root of hatred was laid when a residential building was reconstructed into a Jummat mosque early this year by one Mallam Isa Ali Fantami.

The mosque building is located about 150 mitres away from the COCIN Church Railway premises. We gathered that since the completion of work on the mosque in the area, the Muslims have been coming there for the Friday Jummat prayer without any problem. On this particular Friday the 13th February, 2009 during the Jummat prayer, the Muslims decided to trespass on the church land by parking on the church premises blocking the entire passage to and from the church, the Christian youth saw the action of the Muslims as an attempt to provoke the church and also a gradual attempt to take over the church area by the Muslims. The Christian youth insisted that they must not park and pray in that area again and the Muslim resistance led to the merciless beating of one Attah Ezekiel a Christian youth by the Muslims. The COCIN Leadership reported the incident to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Bauchi chapter and the Divisional Police Officer (D.P.O) Dutse Tenshi Police Station, Assistant Superintendant of Police (ASP) Abubakar. The CAN youth reported the matter also to the Director, State Security Service (SSS) but the report was not acted upon immediately.

ATTACKS ON CHRISTIANS

On February 20th, 2009 a group of flush Army, were sent to the area some hours before the Jummat prayer. When the Muslims started gathering for the prayers with an unprecedented population and saw the Army, they started stoning the soldiers with an attempt of driving them away but the soldiers were calm. They were heard saying that they must revenge the destruction done to their brothers in Jos, Plateau State. When their prayer started they left the soldiers and went back to the Mosque to pray. After the Jummat prayer which lasted for about 10 minute, they came back to the soldiers again attacking and chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’. They carried Mallam Fantami on their shoulder (the owner of the mosque) and some of them immediately started stoning the Christian youth who were calmly watching them at the order of the soldiers, they also wounded Mrs. Dina Zaman and her son Philip. The Christian youth attempted to respond but were calmed by the soldiers who claimed to be in control of the situation. Police were later sent to the scene of the attack but could not help the situation on ground because they claimed they have not been directed to shoot. Many of the Christian youth suffered molestation and the beating of their lives from the Muslims who challenged them to respond.

Immediately, some church elders went back to complain to the director SSS. The SSS director promised to attend to the issue at a security meeting billed for 4pm where all religious leaders were to be in attendance. At 4pm the meeting was held and religious leaders were told to talk to their followers and bring the situation under control and that the state security will deal decisively with any one who violates the law. The director SSS directed that similar meeting be held at Dutse Tenshi Police Station (the Divisional Office of the Railway Area).

MUSLIM YOUTH SET FIRE ON MOSQUE TO SPARK UP A FIGHT

It was that same evening that some Muslim youth went and set fire on one of the mosque opposite Railway football field in order to spark up the crisis since the Christians youth could not respond to their initial attack.

On Saturday morning 21st February, 2009 at about 5.00am, some group of Muslims numbering up to two thousand came attacking Christians and their properties at the COCIN Church Railway Area. The mobile Police stationed at the church Area could not make any attempt to stop the killing and burning of Christian in the area with a claim that they had not been given any order to act. The Reverend in charge of the church made several phone calls to the officers in charge of Mopol but to no avail. Even when reinforcement of Police was made, the police only drove the vandals away without any attempt to arrest them. A visit to the COCIN Church Railway will reveal that a serious conspiracy was made against the church on sighting the Mopol Camp and the church location.

At the moment it is still difficult to ascertain the number of people killed and the estimate of the properties lost but the following areas have been attacked and people killed, properties burnt and vandalized; the New Makama extension/Federal Lowcost; the ECWA II Area, Kufar Dumi ward, Angwan Kur, Railway field Round about.

Though with government propaganda that the place is calmed, our correspondence at the point of filing this report confirmed the threat of possible attack and that it will likely be extended to other States if not carefully handled.

Bauchi Attacks – Press Release

The COCIN President, Rev (Dr) Pandang Yamsat has paid a condolence visit to the victims of Bauchi State mayhem. The president was received by the Chairman R.C.C Bauchi Rev. Yusuf Waziri, the chairman COCIN L.C.C Railway Rev. Ishaya Wakili and the only Christian member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly Hon. Rifkatu S. Danna Addressing the President, the Rev. In charge of L.C.C Railway, (the COCIN church attacked), the youth leader of the church Mr. Ibrahim Istifanus in their speeches said they were attacked by a group of Muslims for trying to prevent them from parking and praying in the church premises their church premises.

Responding, the president condemned the religious intolerance going on in the northern part of Nigeria and called on the Federal and State Government to take measures that will bring to an end the incessant killing and destruction of properties. He prays God to condole the families of those that lost their loved ones and properties. He also commended the president of Stefanos Foundation Eng. Mark Lipdo who was on ground for taking measures toward assisting the victims.

The Cocin President before his visit to the church had earlier paid a condolence visit to the governor of the state Alhaji Isa Yuguda and the Commissioner of Police who appreciated the visit of the president and promise that such incident will not occur again. Some of the areas affected are; New Makama Extension/Federal Low-cost, ECWA II area Kufar Dumi ward and Angwan Kur

Barr. Kwamkur S. Vondip

Advocacy Director

Jos Sectarian Violence

With Nigeria on the news again in the area of our vision and particularly that it affects Jos where I come from, I am sure you would like to know how it affected us and the story from our point of view.

We have been deeply involved from the beginning up till now that things seemed to have calmed down. I am grateful to be alive and be able to have this opportunity to share with you what many have suffered and what we are doing about it as an organisation.

We have been involved with intelligence gathering and coordinating security operatives to help calm the situation. We have also helped victims with mats and blankets. We had toilets built within 3 days to help 5000 at one camp and have also been supplying water to some of the camps. We are presently coordinating Pastors to speak out against the situation. It has not been easy as some International Media have now miss-represented the story.

We are grateful for your prayers and support that has enabled us to help in this way. May God continue to enable you stand with us in these struggles.