Hoodlums invaded a Living Faith Church in Daura, Katsina State, looting approximately 205 chairs, musical instruments, and other valuable items worth millions of naira.
The attacks coincided with the #EndBadGovernance protests on Thursday, which led to violent clashes between hoodlums and security operatives.
The church’s pastor, David Jato, informed journalists that they could not hold Sunday service due to the looting. He described how the hoodlums, many arriving in Keke NAPEP (tricycles), broke into the church around 10:00 am, taking everything inside, including a digital wall clock, musical instruments, the pulpit, chairs, a desktop computer, and a scoreboard with church documents.
Pastor Jato added that three churches were targeted, but only the Living Faith Church and Deeper Life Church were breached, as the Anglican Church had strong iron protections at the gate. The police and army have been informed, and some arrests have been made.
Expressing his dismay, Pastor Jato condemned the attacks on places of worship, urging the perpetrators to repent. He emphasized that the government must recognize its responsibility to serve humanity and ensure such incidents are condemned and prevented.
Similarly, Very Rev. Nelson Onyekachuku, the former state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), reported that his church, ‘Power of Resurrection,’ was also vandalized in Katsina town. Although the windows were broken, the iron protectors prevented entry. He condemned the actions of the hoodlums and called on the government to address public grievances and protect churches.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Sadiq Abubakar, had not responded at the time of reporting. However, correspondents observed a heavy deployment of security personnel around churches across the state on Sunday to ensure safe worship.
