Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State has ordered the immediate
closure of two churches, a seminary and a church-owned hospitals and
secondary school all in Saminaka, Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna
State. He said the closure was to avoid the eruption of violence
among factions of the congregations whose leaderships’ positions he
described as, “principally to preserve their personal interests with
little concern for the common good, and the peace and security of Kaduna
State”.
A statement on behalf of the governor sign by his
spokesman, Samuel Aruwan Wednesday in Kaduna named the affected bodies
as: Theological Seminary of Northern Nigeria, (TSNN), Shalom
Comprehensive College, Assemblies of God Church, AGC, Nmbare all in
Saminaka. The rest are: Assemblies of God Church (Jerusalem) and AGC
Evangelist Hospital, also in Saminaka:
Reads the statement: “The
Kaduna State Security Council at its 15th meeting, held on the 15th
September, 2015, deliberated on the leadership crisis in the Assemblies
of God Church, AGC, Saminaka District, Lere local government area of the
state.
“The council discussed this matter in the context of preventing threats to the peace and stability of the State.
“The Council noted that the leadership crisis has led to disintegration
of order in the church, and raised tensions between the followers of
the rival camps.
The crisis has also widened to the students of
the church-owned school and seminary, who are now split and divided on
factional lines.
“The Council reviewed previous efforts made to
resolve the crisis. It noted that these were aborted by those involved
in the leadership tussle, principally to preserve their personal
interests with little concern for the common good, and the peace and
security of Kaduna State.
“The Council unanimously agreed that if
left unchecked, the growing tension may degenerate into total breakdown
of law and order in the said area, with the potential to spread to
other parts of the state.
“Therefore, the Council has taken steps
to preserve the peace. It has unanimously directed the immediate
closure of the following:
“Theological Seminary of Northern
Nigeria, (TSNN) Saminaka. Shalom Comprehensive College, Saminaka
Assemblies of God Church, Nmbare, Saminaka and Assemblies of God Church
(Jerusalem) Saminaka AGC Evangelist Hospital, Saminaka
“As a result
of these measures, those who may be affected will be admitted into
government schools or hospitals, if they exercise the option.
“The Council also directed that the status quo with regard to farmlands,
houses and other assets of the church be upheld pending resolution of
the leadership crisis, which is a matter before the Supreme Court.
“Kaduna State Government wishes to reiterate that it will not tolerate
the use of religion and ethnicity to cause crisis in the state.
“The government has also announced that it will prosecute anyone, no
matter his or her standing, that is implicated in fomenting crisis in
whatever form in the State”, the statement concluded.
FACEBOOK COMMENTS
Godwin Osa-osagie likes this.
Azeez Adekoya Falcon
nice step. I hope dis will call them to order
Endy Edeson
@falcon, good governance is that governance that do things without sentiments
Azeez Adekoya Falcon
@Endy are u saying dat the governor is been sentimental
Endy Edeson
i
am not saying that. He did what he did without considering religion. i
think it's cool.. a religious institution is just like every other
insitution, no difference