Facts emerged yesterday
how some soldiers
allegedly connived with
Boko Haram members to
bomb the Church of Christ
in Nigeria, COCIN,
headquarters in Jos on
Sunday in which eight
persons were killed, 39
others injured and several
vehicles destroyed. COCIN
President, Rev. Soja
Bewarang, who addressed
journalists in Jos
yesterday, narrated how
the bombers together with
the soldiers deceived the
security men on guard to
carry out the attack. But
the Special Task Force on
Jos crisis STF denied that
its members were involved
in the bombing but instead
alleged that the suicide
bomber, who was killed by
angry youths inside the
church premises, was
actually a member of the
church.
STF Media Officer, Capt.
Mdahelya Markus, said that the
dead man, Adam Joseph
Ashaba, actually came to the
church with his family
members.
Bewarang said: “A navy blue
colour Volkswagen Vento
Sedan accompanied by two
military personnel dressed in
desert camouflage was
escorted through the church
security network deployed at
strategic location from the
Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN,
axis to the Hill Station
Roundabout by a Special
Military Task Force Hilux van.
“On getting to the church gate,
the military Hilux van drove on
towards the Hill Station
junction, while the Vento car
made right turn to enter COCIN
headquarters where there was
a military personnel readily
waiting at the gate of the
church. He asked the church
security to open the gate for
the two to drive in.
“They told the security
personnel at the gate that they
have brought assistance for
the church while the church
security refused to oblige to
their request, the vehicle
rammed into the gate and
made straight to the church
auditorium.”
He added that the driver sped
toward the auditorium and on
reaching the entrance the
bomb went off, stressing that
the car was shattered into
pieces and the engine landed
just about five metres before
the pulpit and the shrapnel
scattered all over. The driver’s
body was also dismembered
into several pieces.
“The soldiers who work very
hard to clear the way for the
bombers was disarmed and
arrested by the mobile police
and military personnel who
came to the scene of the
incident and was taken to the
military hospital, Rukuba
barracks in Jos,” Bewarang
said.
Bewarang said that members
of the church lost 28 vehicles
valued at over N100m during
the attack.
Meanwhile, the bombed COCIN
headquarters church has
become a Mecca of sort as
thousands of people have been
trouping into the premises to
see the extent of destruction
caused by the explosion.
As early as 7a.m. yesterday,
the church compound was
packed full with sympathisers
who expressed outrage over
the bomb attack.
They include Senator Joshua
Dariye, Senator John Dantong,
representing Plateau North in
the National Assembly, Sen.
Victor Lar, Sen. John Shagaya,
and Deputy Inspector General
of Police, DIG Zone Four,
Haruna John.
Speaking with the church
leadership after inspecting the
premises on behalf of the
Inspector-General of Police,
John said the police and other
security agencies “are working
round the clock to unravel
those behind the act.”
The DIG, who led other
security chiefs on a condolence
visit, expressed shock at the
destruction and appeal to the
public to take solace in God.
The police boss said that
security personnel would soon
unravel the perpetrators.
In another development, the
northern apex socio-cultural
organisation, the Arewa
Consultative Forum, ACF,
yesterday said that Nigerians
should join forces against the
perennial bombing and killings
of people by the deadly Islamic
sect, Boko Haram.
ACF also appealed to members
of the sect to address their
grievances in the court of law
rather than unleashing pains
on innocent Nigerians.
The forum in a statement by its
National Publicity Secretary,
Mr. Anthony Sani in Kaduna,
frowned at reprisal attack in
Plateau State with the bombing
of COCIN.
ACF said such attacks were not
within the tenets of any
religion and appealed to
perpetrators to stop the
mindless killing of innocent
people
The group said: “Arewa
Consultative Forum seriously
frowns at the spate of bomb
explosions directed at innocent
Nigerians, including
worshippers, as symbolised by
those in mosque in Kano,
COCIN Church in Jos and those
of prisons in Gombe, that have
been credited to Boko Haram.
“The forum is also not happy
with the reported reprisal
attacks, precisely because the
attacks by both Boko Haram
and reprisals are directed at
innocent people who are not
party to any perceived
grievances of the feuding
parties.”
In Adamawa State, three
policemen were on Sunday
night killed by suspected
members of the sect at the
Shuwa Divisional Police Station
in Madagali Local Government
Area of the state.
National Mirror gathered that
there was a gun battle
between the police and the
armed men who used locally-
made improvised explosive
device.
The incident, which occurred at
about 8p.m. led to the death of
the three police officers.
Madagali Local Government
shares border with Borno
State, where the activities of
the militants started some few
years ago.
The State Commissioner of
Police, Mr. Adenrele Shinaba,
who spoke through the Police
Public Relations Officer, Altine
Daniel (ASP), stated that
details of the attack were still
sketchy as the command was
yet to get full report of the
incident from the area.

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