Governor of Northern State Begs Church Not to Relocate, Donates land

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Elrufai has pleaded with the Methodist Church in southern Kaduna not to relocate following the devastating violence that left the church in ruins – the Governor pleas came after offering a separate piece of land for the church to build a place of worship.

Governor El-Rufai promised to offer a the church another piece of land when he received the prelate of the Methodist Church Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche in his office; urging the church not to entirely abandon their present location.

Governor El-Rufai said: “I visited your church in Kafanchan after the violence. We are willing to give you another plot of land in Kafanchan, but please consider using it to build an additional church. We request that you do not abandon or relocate the church from your present site. Let us not succumb to the agents of blackmail and division.”

“Your neighbors in Kafanchan must accept the right of that church to remain there. The current church should be rebuilt and maintained as a symbol of the right to worship freely.”

Governor El-Rufai went on to assure the Clergyman of his administration’s commitment to securing the area and promoting a return to normalcy. The Governor said, that 10 mobile police squadrons have been deployed to the affected local governments, along with two battalions of the army. The governor made a call on religious leaders to discourage the tendency to allow terrorists and law-breakers hide behind religion in perpetrating heinous crimes.

“When individuals have problems or disputes, they should not be allowed to mobilize emotions by escalating their differences into an ethnic or religious conflict.” Mallam El-Rufai said.

In his remarks, Prelate of the Methodist Church Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche, encouraged Governor El-Rufai in his relentless effort to restore peace and security in southern Kaduna, urging him to continue, while stating that the blames flying around where the price of leadership which the governor must bear.

“We note that you are being blamed over the violence in southern Kaduna. Please take that as the price of leadership. We know that the issue has been happening before your government. I remember the 1987 events vividly.”

“We call on the people of Kaduna State to accept each other, to be tolerant, and to say no to violence. I have served in Kano. I do not see why we should fight each other. Nobody can Christianise or Islamise Nigeria. Let us learn to live together in peace. Religion should preserve lives. Anybody who kills is a criminal. Those who sponsor killings should be arrested.”

We pray for the people of Southern Kaduna and our hope is for the quick return of tranquility to the area.

Kingsley Ukpai

I write, I write and I keep writing... Most importantly, I make sure everything I write makes sense!

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