1 dead 5 injured as members protest church demolition

One person was reported dead while five others were injured following protest in Maiduguri over the demolishing of a church.

The protest started after officials of the Borno Geographical Information System (BOGIS), demolished a church which was said to have been built without approval.

According to an eye witness the victim, simply identified as Ezekiel, was killed when operatives of the Civilian Joint Task Force, who accompanied the government officials to carry out the demolishing, fired at the protesters.

Five other people were said to have been injured during the mayhem.

Meanwhile the state governor Babagana Zulum has ordered the state police command to probe the remote and immediate causes of the incident.

“The governor condemned in strong terms, the firing of gun shots by a member of the security task force as well as some persons who hurled stones at the task force during an encounter on Thursday. One person died and five persons are currently hospitalized.

“The governor also called the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN in Borno State, Bishop Mohammed Naga and spoke with him to commiserate with the Christian community and leadership and family of the EYN church in Borno,” media aide to the governor, Isa Gusau said.

Meanwhile a meeting between the state officials and CAN leadership took place at 5:30pm yesterday at the Government House in Maiduguri over the incident.

In the meantime, Deputy Governor, Umar Usman Kadafur has visited the hospital where five injured persons are receiving treatment, to empathize with them and take over the cost of their treatment.