Similar events have happened in Maiduguri but are never reported by the Media. There was the case of a girl caught trying to plant a bomb in her own church. Her mom got suspicious when the daughter insisted she shouldn't go to church. The mom reported to their pastor which led to the arrest of the girl. When Christians are destroying churches and Muslims are killing Imams, you know somebody somewhere is trying by all means to make Nigerians go to war against each other.

Nemesis caught up with a woman who attempted to set a church building in the Bauchi State capital ablaze at the weekend.

The suspect, Lydia Joseph, allegedly walked into the St. John Catholic Cathedral Church at about 12:30p.m. with a jerry can of fuel and a match box.

Ms Joseph who, it was learnt, lied to the security men at the gate that the content of the jerry can was kerosene, also told them that she wanted to pray and was allowed to enter the church compound.

The Catechist at the church, Johan Daniel, told NEXT that he was at the priest’s house in the church compound when he heard shouts.

“When I came out she had ran out of the compound but as God would have it the member who saw her chased and caught her,” Mr John said.

He said that after entering the church, the suspect poured the fuel on the pews inside the church and lit them with a lighter.

Mr John explained that after lighting the fire, she was on her way out when another member who was in the church to pray saw her and raised an alarm.

“We had to rush in and put off the fire,” he said. “Fortunately for us, a man praying in the church saw her and shouted that the gates should be locked. But many people, including the security men did not understand and before the gate was locked, she had ran out and he followed her and arrested her.”

He identified the suspect as Lydia Joseph, “a LovePeddler who was being converted by the Charismatic Renewal Ministry of the church”.

“She used to come and fellowship with them but she is not a member of the church,” Mr John said.

He said after interrogating the suspect, the police was alerted and she was handed over to them.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mohammed Barau, said the church alerted the police that a woman was caught with a jerry can of fuel and a lighter while trying to set the church ablaze.

Mr Barrau said that the suspect was currently in police custody, and investigation was on to know her motive for trying to set the church ablaze.

Source: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5740273-146/story.csp

I am surprised that after 12 hours not a single person made a comment on this thread. Is it because the story didn't fit the normal Boko Haram stereotype we are used to? I thought this will be a good place for the progressives on Nairaland to have an honest discussions on the terrorist activities in this country.

S

@9jaganja, but your grandma was bold enough to show herself when doing that and wasn't cowardly trying to set the Muslims and Christians in that area against each other. If this Bauchi woman wasn't caught, the story will be the normal one we are used to; Boko Haram!!!. And we will here the normal wholesale attack on Muslims whether you are Boko Haram or not.

I think the Media are also not helping the situation here. During the Yusufiyya problem in Maiduguri, the Media kept reporting stories out of context and portrayed the Yusufiyya sect as the victims. Now with the Boko Haram thing they are now promoting a single stereotype to a problem with multiple faces. Some days back, the police in Maiduguri managed to arrest a person supplying Boko Haramist with bomb making materials. It turned out the person is also Christian. Now we have a radical Islamic sect doing business with some Christians and killing both Muslims and Christians, don't you think very serious questions need to be asked here?

No, instead some Northern Muslims will say it is CAN behind it all and some Southern Christians will say it some Northern Muslims with born to rule mentality behind it all. I think we can only solve this problem or at least understand it when we stop telling ourselves convenient lies.

Hmmn.

This land is cursed.Twa!

@ifyalways, this land is blessed but we the people are trying to curse it by our actions and inactions.

IG:

@9jaganja, but your grandma was bold enough to show herself when doing that and wasn't cowardly trying to set the Muslims and Christians in that area against each other. If this Bauchi woman wasn't caught, the story will be the normal one we are used to; Boko Haram!!!. And we will here the normal wholesale attack on Muslims whether you are Boko Haram or not.

I think the Media are also not helping the situation here. During the Yusufiyya problem in Maiduguri, the Media kept reporting stories out of context and portrayed the Yusufiyya sect as the victims. Now with the Boko Haram thing they are now promoting a single stereotype to a problem with multiple faces. [b]Some days back, the police in Maiduguri managed to arrest a person supplying Boko Haramist with bomb making materials. It turned out the person is also Christian. [/b]Now we have a radical Islamic sect doing business with some Christians and killing both Muslims and Christians, don't you think very serious questions need to be asked here?

No, instead some Northern Muslims will say it is CAN behind it all and some Southern Christians will say it some Northern Muslims with born to rule mentality behind it all. I think we can only solve this problem or at least understand it when we stop telling ourselves convenient lies.

You raised some really potent questions. Please could you flesh out the bolded info a bit?
I have always had the belief that the original boko haram which was religious was taken over by politicians after the death of Yusuf, their leader.

@Beaf, a lot has been happening about this Boko Haram thing that never make it to the newspapers. I am even surprised that 234next.com was bold enough to publish this story. There is no denying that the Yusufiyya sect are actively engaging in bombing campaigns, but I have reasons to believe that they are knowingly or unknowingly working either for politicians, foreign forces or both. I was surprised about how the international community was so bitter about the killing of Muhammad Yusuf. In fact the Nigerian government had to apologize and yet America claimed to kill Osama bin Laden in a similar manner.

And what many do not know is that all the politicians so far killed by Boko Haram all belong to one party. If Boko Haram hates democracy in general, they shouldn't discriminate on the party their victims belong to.

Talking about setting Muslims and Christians against each other, it should be noted that Boko Haram started by assasinating top Muslim clerics before proceeding to bombing of churches. That I believe is a deliberate plan to start a Muslims vs Christians war.

A divide and conquer strategy makes it easier for the colonial powers to rule.