There is palpable tension in the Christian community in Kaduna state over a letter written to the Dunamis church, demanding for details and update of all its religious institutions and church locations within Kaduna State, by the El-Rufai led administration.
Kaduna state Urban Planning Development Agency, KASUDA, had prior to the presidential and national elections written to the Dunamis Church requesting it to furnish it with details and update of all its religious institutions within Kaduna State.
Reacting to what it considered a threat letter, CAN Kaduna chapter, had, in a letter cautioned Governor Nasir El–Rufai, describing it as a threat to demolish Dunamis churches located in the State, adding that Christians will resist any persecution by the government.
The protest letter by CAN over the threat to demolish Dunamis churches in the State was on the heels of an official letter from KAPSUDA, asking the church to provide details of its operation in the State.
In a document obtained by our correspondent, CAN State Secretary, Dr Sunday Ibrahim directed that the church should not give the information saying that it was a ploy by the government to embark on the demolition of Dunamis churches in the State.
The acting General Manager of KAPSUDA, Hajiya Fatima Bambale in an official letter with reference number PS/14/PP/ZIII/20, 624/ VOL.I/0 and titled “Up-date of religious institutions within the State”, said, ” I am directed to request you to furnish the Agency with your details through the attached form”.
She added, “You are to reply within seven days of receiving this letter”.
However, in a swift reaction by CAN Secretary, Dr Ibrahim in a letter dated February, 7th 2019, it said that “We write to express our dissatisfaction with the content of your letter and to remind the Agency that she is a government Agency and not individual establishment”.
According to Ibrahim, “where the government, through the Agency finds it necessary to update religious institutions within the State we strongly believe that the Agency knows well enough the proper channel to follow which is through CAN or Interfaith”.
He said that Dunamis church decided to contact CAN after the government Agency decided to direct it’s letter demanding a list of all its branches in the State.
Dr Ibrahim further noted that the demand was offensive, and suspect as it was ill-conceived and inappropriate that the Agency should write the individual church directly disregarding CAN. This he said was provocative and raises suspicion and an attempt
“at using KAPSUDA which is a Government Agency as a tool to persecute the Dunamis International Gospel Centre Churches in Kaduna State”.
“We shall resist in strong terms any action or inaction that is inappropriate and perceived as an I’ll intention against the church, person or group. And we also are reminding the government that she is solely established for the protection of people and properties and not their destruction. We also remind KAPSUDA once again that she is an agency of the State and not of a single individual hence, we call on her to resist the temptation of allowing herself used as an instrument to perpetuate injustice or persecution of the church or any individual person and groups in Kaduna State”.
Meanwhile, few months ago, it would be recalled that there was altercation between the Governor, El–Rufai and the General Overseer of Dunamis church, Pastor Paul Enenche, during the last crisis, after the kidnap and death of the paramount Chief of Adara, Chiefdom, in which Governor threatened to prosecute leader of the church.
