Churches burnt, scores injured in Niger violence
By Francis Falola and Busola Ayodele
Published: Tuesday, 14 Apr 2009

The Easter celebration on Monday turned sour in Minna, the Niger State capital, and Gwada town as people suspected to be Muslim fundamentalists stormed some churches, causing bodily harm and destroying properties worth several millions of naira.

Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu

Christians all over the world earlier in the day had assembled at churches for the symbolic Galilee picnic, an event to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But the day turned bloody in Gwada, where three churches were burnt while about 26 Christians were injured. In Minna, the Niger Baptist Church was the target of the fanatics who injured five Christian youths and damaged more than five cars.

Our correspondents gathered that the incident in Gwada happened as Christian youths from all churches marched round the town, drumming and rejoicing over their ability to see another resurrection day of Jesus Christ.

It was learnt that as the procession continued, some Muslim youths, who apparently had pre-planned their action, appeared and started attacking the Christian youths, injuring some of them.

The attackers reportedly turned their attention to churches where special services and picnics were being held to commemorate the Easter.

They disrupted their activities and burnt three of the churches.

In Minna, the incident at the Baptist Church, our correspondents gathered, happened in a similar way, but the combined efforts of the Christian youths saved the churches in the town from being set ablaze.

It was learnt that two Muslim fanatics, who had hidden in a provisions shop near the church, had first come to spy on the building but they were spotted by the Christian youths who had come out of the church.

The youths, according to one of the victims, Mr. Olajide Oke, informed the church leadership, who intimated the church members.

The youths, on getting wind of the development, vowed to protect the church.

According to Oke, the two Muslim fundamentalists earlier found lurking around the church premises left and came back a few minutes later with about 60 others and they immediately sprayed the cars parked outside the bookshop with petrol, “but the efforts of the Christian youths prevented the hoodlums from setting them ablaze.”

However, three vehicles AH817SUL, EQ939ABC and AH690MNA were badly damaged as the Muslim youths threw stones and other weapons at the vehicles and the Christian youths.

Those injured were either stabbed or hit by stones, the victim said.

An elder of the church, Dr. James Ojebode, described the incident as sad.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Richard Oguche, said three assistant commissioners of police and a detachment of riot policemen were immediately sent to Gwada to put the situation under control.

Oguche confirmed the arrest of 88 Muslim fanatics, adding that they had been taken to the Criminal Investigations Department and would be charged to court soon.

The police spokesman said 20 suspects were arrested in Minna while all the injured were taken to the General Hospital where they had been receiving treatment. No life was lost.

The Superintendent of Police, David Abuo, who is also the head of the mobile police in Minna, led the operation to flush out the fanatics.

Our correspondent observed at the Baptist Church in Minna that the Easter programme abruptly came to an end when the attack happened.

The floor was also stained with blood of the wounded.

Meanwhile, a total of 43 persons were reportedly killed in separate auto accidents in Katsina and Kwara states on Saturday and Sunday.

Twenty four persons died on Sunday night while 10 others were injured at Kanbi on Bode Saa’adu-Jebba road in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Another tragedy in Katsina on Sunday claimed the lives of 13 members of a family on Funtua road, while six others were said to have died on Saturday in Malumfashi, also in Katsina State.

Our correspondent in Ilorin gathered that the accident on Jebba road occurred when a motorcycle suddenly crossed the busy main road without looking sideways.

It was learnt that in a bid to avoid the motorcyclist, two oncoming commercial buses had a head-on collision.

Though the cyclist escaped unhurt, the accident claimed the lives of 24 of the passengers in the commercial vehicles. Ten others sustained serious injuries.

As at press time, efforts were being made by the officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Jebba Unit Command, to free some passengers trapped in both vehicles.

The remains of the dead passengers have been deposited at mortuaries of some hospitals in Jebba, while those that sustained injuries were receiving treatments.

Though journalists could not confirm the report from the Kwara State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr. Yusuf Salami, but a senior officer who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the development.

In Katsina, the News Agency of Nigeria gathered that the victims were returning home after attending a wedding in Minna.

Eyewitnesses told NAN that the vehicle conveying the victims had a burst tyre and the driver lost control and crashed, resulting in the deaths of the 13 occupants, including women and children.

Only the driver and his conductor were said to have survived.

Speaking to journalists, Mallam Abdulbashir Kafinta, who lost a wife and daughter, described the incident as an act of God.

Efforts to get the reactions of both the police and the FRSC failed as at press time.

The victims who lost their lives in Malumfashi were travelling in a truck loaded with wheat flour when the driver lost control ran into a bush.

More than 60 persons were said to be in the truck coming to the North from Lagos, and some of the injured were now on admission at the General Hospital, Malumfashi.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20090414012340