– Up to 50 People Possibly Dead from Church Attacks
– Reprisal Attacks Unleashed by Aggrieved Christian Youths
Christians in the northern state of Kaduna launched into reprisal attacks against Muslims on Sunday, following growing perception of failure by President Goodluck Jonathan’s government’s inability to protect them against continued slaughter by radical Islamic terrorists who again attacked and killed Christians in their places of worship around the state earlier in the day.
Two of Sunday’s coordinated attacks targeted the ECWA Church in Wusasa and the CKC Church at Yoruba Road, Sabon-Gari, in Zaria. At least 13 bodies were counted by eyewitness of the attack on the CKC Church at Malam Bala Mati, where suspected suicide bombers had rammed a Volkswagen Golf vehicle into the church premises, defying orders by security officials at the gate to stop for a check.
The bombers who attacked at the ECWA Church in Wusasa came in a Honda Accord (2008 model), slamming into the security posts and knocking down a part of the church building, wounding no less than 30 worshippers in the process, according to the Divisional Secretary of the Red Cross in Zaria. He said nine injured persons were taken to St. Lukes Hospital, Wusasa, for treatment, while nine others were ferried to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in the Shika neighbourhood of Zaria.
The public relations officer of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Aminu Lawan confirmed the attacks and said policemen had been deployed the locations.
Kaduna State police commissioner Mohammed Abubakar Jinjiri also confirmed to the press that the attacks in Zaria were minutes within each other, and that another attack followed about a half hour later in the city of Kaduna.
“If not for security, there would have been many more clashes,” said the police commissioner. The Kaduna attack was at the Shalom Royal International Church in Tirkaniya area of the city.
There was a breakdown of law and order in parts of Kaduna State after the blasts. Angry youths, numbering in their hundreds, vented their anger by resorting to violence, targeting Hausa-Fulani Muslims in places like Sabon Tasha, Narayi, Television, Ungwan Romi and Gonin Gora. About 11 persons have so far be reported killed in the violence that also saw the torching of vehicles in the area.
As a military helicopter hovered over the trouble spots of the city, policemen were seen rescuing Hausa-Fulani persons from attacks by irate Christian youths. Some of the Hausa-Fulani in the area fled and took refuge at the nearby mobile police barracks.
Sunday’s violence prompted the government of Governor Patrick Yakowa to impose a 24-hour curfew on the state.
“I want to assure you that government will not tolerate the breakdown of law and order and disregard for the sanctity of human lives,” the governor said in a statewide broadcast later on Sunday.
He said the curfew would also allow security personnel to fish out criminals.
“Everything is being done to bring the situation to a stop by denying those bent on causing anarchy in the state the opportunity to celebrate their objectives.
“Government regrets this decision, but it has been done in the interest of the state to avoid loss of lives and property.”
The governor noted that although the curfew would cause some hardship, but “government has the responsibilities to ensure safety of lives and property.
“Violence has never solved any problem, so we should embrace dialogue and remain peaceful.’’
The governor’s curfew order came as a visibly disappointed President Jonathan expressed sadness over the latest eruption of violence following a series of attacks that appear to be testing the patience of Christians, particularly the ones based in the northern parts of the country where all of these attacks occur.
The president spoke at a special Sunday service to mark Father’s Day in Abuja, saying that as thrilled as he previously was to be part of the occasion, the news he received during the service about the violence in Kaduna saddened him enough to consider forgetting his remarks, but the president spoke anyway.
“I was quite thrilled about what was going on in the church and when I got the information that while we were here, there were explosions in Kaduna and since I don’t even know the casualty rate and what is happening; I have been quite sad and I didn’t even want to say something.
“But when the priest orders you, you must say something.’’
The president said he had consolation in God who is capable of handling every situation and healing the nation. He solicited the support and prayers of every Nigerian for the peace of the nation and for the success of his administration.