Some pastors in Katsina State recalled their losses on Sunday when hoodlums vandalised church facilities during the #EndBadGovernance rallies.
Although there was a large security presence at many churches in the state, Reverend Nelson Onyekachukwu, pastor of the Power of Resurrection Church in the state capital, informed reporters that the hoodlums raided his church and vandalised its windows during the demonstration.
Onyekachukwu, who is also the previous state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, condemned the hoodlums’ actions in full. The cleric warned that they should not cause pain in the church.
To avoid repeat incidents, he urged the government to reconsider its stance, answer people’s concerns, and always safeguard the protection of churches.
However, there is no official notification from the Katsina State Police Command.
Elsewhere in the Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State, 205 chairs, musical instruments, and other valuables worth millions of naira were said to have been carted away by hoodlums at the Daura Living Faith Church during the protest.
The pastor in charge of the church, David Jatau, told reporters on Sunday that the church service could not be held due to the hoodlums’ actions.
According to Jatau, when the protest began at about 10:00 am, the hoodlums, many of them in tricycles, diverted to the church, broke the doors and classes, and penetrated the church auditorium.
“I’m surprised by this attack, when we are thinking about ending bad governance protests, which now escalated to the invasion of churches, it is something that everyone should seriously condemn.
“It’s not food that we store in the House of God. It is a place of worship. Why is it only the church? The government should come to the reality they are serving humanity, and God will judge us all, whether political or religious leaders.
“Three churches were their target while they succeeded in invading the Living Faith Church and Deeper Life, but could not gain access to the third one which is the Anglican Church because of the strong protection at the gate.
“The hoodlums went away with everything inside the church on the first day of the protest and they decided to worship at their various home cells. We have two security personnel working in the church; one was on duty while the other was off duty.
“They scattered and packed everything inside the church auditorium, including the wall digital clock, musical instruments, pupil, pastor’s chairs, plastic chairs, and a desktop computer at the reception, as well as a scoreboard where the accountant usually kept church documents.
“We have informed the police and the Army about it, and the police told us yesterday that they have made some arrests.
“My prayer to the perpetrators is that they should repent from what they are doing because for you to enter a place of worship is wrong and you know you are not fighting man, they should seek for repentance,” Jatau added.