Some leaders in the northern part of Nigeria have been accused of hiding under Sharia law to discriminate against Christians in the region as well as deny them access to government services.
Making this allegation on Tuesday was the President of the Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA, Rev. Jeremiah Gado, while addressing the General Church Council (GCC) at the ECWA International Conference hall in Jos.
According to the clergyman, the level of persecution of Christians in Northern Nigeria was second to none in Africa.
He stressed that the lives of Christian leaders in the North were constantly under threat while some northern ruling elite “hide under Sharia law to discriminate against Christians. Properties of Christians.”
Rev. Gado, who took a swipe at the Kebbi State government said: “a typical example is in Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital, where the only parcel of land allowed for the Christians to build churches is denied access road.
“ECWA is worst hit by this systematic religious and ethnic cleansing in the North. The level of persecution of Christians in Northern Nigeria is perhaps second to none in Africa.
“In some parts of the North, villages which are wholly or largely owned by Christians are denied government services such as access roads, education, healthcare, employment, political representation, commerce, security, agriculture.”
The ECWA president also lamented the level of destruction caused by Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East, saying that: “Christians suffer series of attacks often pre-planned and well-coordinated. Often times, Christians in the North are forced to convert to Islam.”
On the forthcoming general elections, Rev. Gado said ECWA’s interest was freedom of worship and rule of law.
He stated that whoever wins the presidential election should ensure that all perpetrators of violence and their sponsors are brought to book no matter how highly placed.
Rev. Gado also urged the government to rebuild churches burnt down by Boko Haram insurgents.
On January 1, 2015, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) in Tudun Wada, Gombe, capital of Gombe state, killing an unspecified number of people.
A security source who confirmed the blast to newsmen said it occurred some minutes before 9am, while members of the church were at a service to herald the New Year.