The Jigawa branch of Christian Association of
Nigeria has condemned the demolition of churches
by the Jigawa State Government in the state capital,
Dutse.
Some of the demolished churches were built over
10 years ago, a communique on Tuesday by the
state CAN Chairman, Rev. Yakubu Musa, stated.
The association explained that the government had
been turning down application for registration of
land document by churches in spite of intervention
by numerous stakeholders in the state.
The Christian body Further stated that due to the
government’s refusal to grant land permits, the
District Head of Dutse had started making moves to
demolish churches without the option of relocating
them to alternative sites.
“This unbecoming stance informed the summoning
of a meeting by the Secretary to the State
Government on November 24,2016 via a circular
dated November 21 whereby the Galadima of Dutse
flaunted a list of scanty mosques in each state in
southern Nigeria, juxtaposing it with the number of
churches in Dutse, which informed his decision to
back the demolition of churches in Dutse,” the
statement added.
CAN further dismissed as untenable, the claim by
the government that the demolished churches were
built in residential areas, it lacked moral
justification.
‘’This is because a number of mosques were
equally built in the said areas where churches were
also built,” he averred, insisting that in a democratic
society where the rule of law and equality before
the law existed, government and its agencies were
obliged to abhor selective justice.
The association noted, “From the ongoing
demolition of churches, it is crystal clear that the
government of Jigawa State is no longer
comfortable with the existence of non-indigenes in
their state as they are already in the process of
commencing a fresh demolition of the remaining
churches that are yet untouched.
“We equally use this medium as a body of
Christians to inform Nigerians that there was neither
prior notice of demolition served on the owners of
the demolished properties nor was CAN served
demolition notice.”
Young-po Reporters 