Christian Group Protests Attacks on Southern Kaduna

Christian Group Protests Attacks on Southern Kaduna

Kayode Fasua

The Living Faith Foundation, a Christian religious body in Southern Kaduna, has condemned the ethno-religious crisis in Gidan Magani, Kasuwa Magani and other parts of Kaduna State, which it claims has led to the loss of scores of lives, with casualty rate heavy on the part of Christians.

In a statement issued Saturday, which was obtained by THISDAY, the foundation specifically lamented the what it described as the dehumanisation and torture of its church instrumentalist, Mr. Busayo Anthony Akinwande, who had been rendered virtually lame by religious extremists.

The victim, it stated, is the Managing Director of White Bridge Nigeria Limited, a construction firm in Kaduna, even as it added that it was still mourning the killing of others of its members who included Mary Emmanuel, Julius Akinwande, and Tunde Ogbeha.
“The trio was burnt to death in their family homes by suspected members and supporters of Muslim Youth Foundation of South Kaduna (MYFOSKA) and Muslim Youth Wings of Southern Kaduna (SOKAMUDA),” the group alleged.

In the statement issued by Pastor Mose Olaiya, its regional pastor, the group called on the authorities to wade in, to save its members from total annihilation.

“The Living Faith Foundation condemns the continued and increasing challenges of violence against members of our Church by Islamist groups in Southern Kaduna.

“Our places of worships are targeted for destruction and our members are persecuted and threatened on daily basis since the first ethno-religious clash in the state.

which happened in Kasuwan Magani in the 1980s, and since then, a…constituency had developed, which believes that violence pays and is convinced that violence has no consequences for its perpetrators.

“It’s painful and regrettable that of all the crises in the past 35 years, which led to over 20,000 deaths and destructions of properties, those mostly affected are the Christians and non-indigenes

“Nobody has been prosecuted for the dastardly acts. We condemn these cyclical crises, bloodletting and denials of the right to life, freedom of thought, and the right to conscience and religion.

“We are, therefore, demanding for the prosecution of all suspects involved in tortures, dehumanisation and persecution of Mr. Akinwande Anthony Busayo, our church instrumentalist and building contractor, who is Managing Director of White Bridge Nig. Ltd.; and the killings of Mary Emmanuel, Julius Akinwande and Tunde Ogbeha,” the Christian body protested.

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