Bogis Demolition

Bogis Demolition

By Balami Lazarus.

On Thursday the 5th of August 2021 at about 11:00 am Borno Geographic and Information System (BOGIS) conspired with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) came to Maduganari ward in Maiduguri with graders and forcefully demolished the EYN Church Maduganari to the ground level.

Much had been said and written on this matter. But my approach to it is different Why was this done to a Christian place of worship? Was the church an illegal structure? Investigations revealed that the church has a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O ) and other relevant documents as evidence of legal status to stand as a church building for the Christian faithful.

The demolition came with a loss of life and injuries. One Mr. Ezekiel Bitrus Tumba lost his life, five others sustained injuries in this sinister and questionable Iagotic act. It is a normal procedure in quitting, eviction, and/ or demolition that notices must be given; and the final one leads to either of the aforementioned to take place. Was there notice to this effect? Was the appropriate law enforcement organ of government informed? Were they part of the demolition team to enforced the pulling down of the EYN church Maduganari? I reasonably believe that BOGIS intentionally decided to do a litmus test to gauge the pulse of the Christians with this demolition to pave way for more church demolitions.

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But wait a minute. Why experimenting with a place of worship for God- sake? I will put it to the Borno State Government under the leadership of Professor Babagana Umara Zulum that this act has a religious undertone because it is a clear disrespect to the Christian community in Maiduguri. Religious beliefs are the heart of a Christian or Muslim, and any attempt to mess with their place of worship is an invocation of provocation.

Therefore, the demolition was done to provoke, persecute and prosecute the Christians in Borno state. It is glaring that Christians have not been carried whole-heartedly in the affairs of the. Suspicious has always being cast at their presence including their activities. Why? May be is a sin or a crime for an indigene of Borno to be a Christian. A keen observer of the Borno state will no doubt agree with me that for over a decade now the indigenous Borno Christians have lost interest in governance and in the affairs of the state.

They are on the fence. Looking at this matter before the curtain fall, the church and its leadership, members and her neighbors are probably part of this intrigues, treachery, and conspiracy which may have given birth to traitors and hence the demolition.

Be as it may, either side of the coin, the Zulum government is an accomplice in this religious matter that is smeared with criminality and the Governor cannot shy away from total blame and accusations for pulling down a church building. Balami, a Publisher/ Columnist