August 4, 2024.
By Samuel Ogunsona
In Katsina, the home state of former President Muhammadu Buhari, protesters armed with cudgels have attacked several churches, disrupting Sunday services.
“They are mostly young men, numbering in the hundreds who targeted churches to steal and loot properties” an eye witness told The YorubaTimes.
The pastor in charge of the attacked living faith church, David Jatau, told reporters on Sunday that the church service could not be held due to the hoodlums’ actions.
According to Jatau, “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.
A source who wish to remain anonymous told our reporter that the attacked churches includes Deeper Life and Anglican Church in katsina.
