Insecurity: Christians Abandon Easter Rally In Jos

For fear of the unknown, Christians in Jos, the Plateau State capital, yesterday abandoned the Easter rally organised by the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) scheduled to take place at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium in Jos. LEADERSHIP gathered that the Church of Christ In Nigeria, COCIN, had advised its members to stay away from the scheduled Easter rally.
Suicide bombers had on February 26, 2012, attacked COCIN headquarters in Jos, leaving scores dead and injured, and property destroyed within the church premises.
During his pastoral sermon at the Easter service yesterday, Rev Alfred Daspan of COCIN, Nasarawa Gwom, announced that members of the congregation had been advised not to attend any rally during the Easter celebration. He gave no reason for the decision.
At the time of filing this report, there was a heavy presence of security operatives around church premises around the city.
Security personnel at all the checkpoints were seen conducting stop-and- search operations. Besides, private security personnel in most churches also conducted serious checks before allowing worshippers to go into the churches for the Easter services.
But reacting to the development, the spokesman of the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis, Captain Salisu Mustapher, told LEADERSHIP that the Easter celebration was peaceful in the state despite the fear of insecurity in some parts of the state.
According to him, as part of the measures to ensure a peaceful Easter celebration, there was a massive deployment of STF personnel to crisis-prone areas in the state.
He revealed that before yesterday, there had been aerial surveillance by helicopter in the state and surrounding environment, just as he said that the STF had deployed most of its personnel to guard and protect worship and amusement centres in the state.
“For now, I can categorically say that they have been no reported cases of violence or any breakdown of law and order in the state,” he said.

Northern governors want Christians to imbibe lesson of Easter
Meanwhile, the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) has urged Christians to imbibe the ideals of perseverance, sacrifice and commitment to the will of God which characterised the Lenten season and Easter celebration.
Chairman of the forum and Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu stated this yesterday while congratulating Christians and all Nigerians on this year’s Easter celebration.
He also reminded the faithful that they were alive today only by God’s grace and favour, and not because they were special in any way.
In a statement signed by the governor’s chief press secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, the forum called on Nigerians to be mindful of the need to continue to render selfless service to humanity which underscores the essence of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Day.
The forum enjoined citizens to use the opportunity of the Easter celebration to pray for the quick resolution of the security challenges confronting the nation just as it urged Nigerians to pray for and work towards peace, stability and progress of Nigeria so as to actualise the nation’s transformation agenda.

Christians mark Easter amid tight security
The Good Friday and Easter celebrations were weekend marked across the country under a peaceful atmosphere, with little or no security breaches as the security agencies deployed their personnel to foil any possible attacks.
LEADERSHIP can report that as Christians all over the country attended their various religious activities, there was a heavy presence of security operatives at all the major worship centres. The operatives also patrolled the major highways to cut out any untoward occurrences.
Ahead of the celebration, the inspector-general of police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar, had given marching orders to all zonal assistant inspectors-general of police (AIGs) and state commissioners of police (CPs) to ensure adequate security in their areas of jurisdiction.
He had told them to take all necessary measures to provide adequate security for worshippers, travellers, picnickers and all citizens across the country before, during and after the festive season.
LEADERSHIP investigation reveals that most of the states witnessed peaceful Easter celebrations even though there was apprehension in the air, as the terrorists had in the past earmarked such periods for their attacks.
Apart from Kano State where shootings and explosion were reported by the time of going to press, there was calm in most states in the north east and north west amid very tight security. Vigilant policemen were said to have joined forces with the security arms of the various churches to ensure that the celebration went smoothly.
Church members and other visitors were frisked before they were allowed into the church premises while vehicles were subjected to thorough security checks for metal objects.
Reports also reaching LEADERSHIP from Lagos State said the celebration in the country’s business capital was peaceful. Security was said to have been beefed up even as President Jonathan spent Easter in the state.
The nation’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also witnessed a hitch-free Easter celebration, just as the newly deployed commissioner of police, Mr Olufemi Ogunbayode, had assured.
The command’s public relations officers, DSP Altine Daniel, told LEADERSHIP that the CP had deployed officers to the area councils, areas with high concentration of churches and all the recreational centres.
In Niger State, the Easter celebration went peacefully without any security breach, with security operatives maintaining watchful presence at most public places and worship centres.
LEADERSHIP finding showed that Suleja, a town with a history of bomb attacks, was also calm. There was restriction of vehicular movement between 6am to 12 pm in the area. In Minna, the state capital, however, there was no vehicular restriction but the security operatives were very vigilant throughout the Easter programmes in all the churches.
As usual, soldiers were stationed in major entrances to Minna, and people were made to come down from their motorcycles at the city gate along Abuja-Minna road. Also, the entrances to Kontogora-Minna road and Minna-Sarkin Pawa were well manned by security operatives.
Similarly in Kontagora, Bida and New Bussa, all major towns in Niger State, there were heavily armed security operatives deployed to ensure that the peace of the areas was not breached.
When contacted on phone to comment on the security situation during the Easter celebration, Force spokesman CSP Frank Mba told LEADERSHIP that the Nigeria Police appreciated the importance of the Easter celebration and did everything within their capacity to ensure that Nigerians had a trouble-free celebration.
He also expressed the gratitude of the IGP on the peaceful conduct of the Easter, saying that the cooperation of the citizens accounted largely for the peaceful nature of the celebration.
Mba gave the assurance that the police would continue to do their best to ensure that Nigerians continue to enjoy peace in the country.