Published 23rd Feb, 2022

By Mariam Hamzat

Bowman Sadiq Wakawa is a young human rights activist and lawyer who has used his voice to support the oppressed in society over the years. However, beyond the profession, Bowman is a dedicated Christian and indigene of Southern Borno, Borno State.

In August, Bowman’s church was demolished on the orders of the Borno State Geographic Information System (BOGIS). The Church of Brethren in Nigeria, commonly known as Ekklasiyar Yan’uwa Nigeria (EYN) LCB Maduganari, was brought down, and Bowman and other congregants felt powerless to intervene.

Bowman’s Church was among dozens of buildings, including mosques, that BOGIS demolished. The agency stated that the demolitions were part of efforts to reorganise the city and reform the state’s land administration system, which necessitates the demolition of properties deemed illegal.

Churches like The Sanctuary Church at Tundun Wada; Total Gospel Sanctuary Church, Mairi-Bakin Kogi; Christ Favor Land, Pompomariu Bye-pass and Jubilee Sanctuary Church were also demolished within the same period. However, Bowman’s Church’s demolition was different: a mason identified as Ezekiel died while other five members suffered injuries.

News of the demolition made headlines across the country, and representatives of the Islamic and Christian communities condemned the act.

In a press release in the wake of the incident, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) accused the government of wiping out churches from the state and made four demands to amend the situation.

CAN called for the set up of a judicial panel of enquiry to investigate the unwarranted killing and shooting with a CAN representative on the team. The demolished churches were also to be rebuilt and reopened. Phones seized during the demolition were to be returned and the state governor was to address all pressing issues affecting the Christian community.

Church members worship in the rubble after demolition

Elsewhere, the director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Ishaq Akintola, in a signed statement, repelled the claims that BOGIS was not being used to eliminate churches, calling it “coordinated propaganda”. According to MURIC, the BOGIS team had demolished 11 mosques and four churches between 2020 and the time of the incident.

CHRISTIANITY IN BORNO STATE

Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, is dominated by Islam and practices the Sharia law. Despite Christians being the minority, several churches are scattered across the state. Notably, many citizens of the state are Christians.

According to Reverend Auta S. Ndahi, a pastor of the EYN church, who spoke to FIJ, Muslims and Christians have coexisted peacefully over the years, and the friction between the two religions emerged recently. Auta, a native of Borno State, said he has family members who are Muslims.

Similarly, Hamidu, also a Christian from Maiduguri, told FIJ that there are communities in Borno State with a higher percentage of the Christian population, just like there are Muslims. He explained that they coexist without any challenges for an average Christian in Borno State’s urban areas.

“Despite security challenges and all that is always on the news about marginalisation against Christians, people in Borno are trying when it comes to living together. The Bulamas, community heads, ensure that Muslims and Christians work and school together,” Samilu told FIJ.

While talking about his life as a Borno Christian, Samilu stated that in most government schools, there is a higher population of Muslim students. Consequently, muslim students end up dominating leadership positions.

“There are large Christian communities like the Wulari Jerusalem in Maiduguri, where Christians live peacefully. We have about 30 churches there, including the biggest EYN church in Maiduguri, the Goodnews Headquarters, and Holy Trinity. Schools close early on Friday when it’s time for prayers. However, roads are closed to ensure safety when prayer is on. On Sunday, we go to church without obstruction.”

Azumi Adamu Danja, a pastor at the End Time Harvest Church, Maiduguri, corroborated Samilu’s statement in a separate interview. The pastor, who has lived in Borno State for 41 years, told FIJ she had never had an issue with Muslims since both religions have respect for each other.

“Majority of us in Bama and Kwandara here live peacefully. We are friends with the Bulamas and they send us critical information when needed,” she said.

Nonetheless, being in the minority often exposes Christians and their churches to attacks from different groups. Nigeria’s 2013 International Religious Freedom Report revealed that there were multiple confirmed reports of Boko Haram targeting individuals and communities based on their religion.

The most recent religious freedom report, from 2020, pointed out that on January 26, two girls blew themselves up outside a mosque in Borno State, killing two others and injuring 14 persons praying at the time. Local media further reported that on Christmas Eve, Boko Haram terrorists killed seven people in a raid on a Christian village in Borno State and torched homes and a church. These activities were linked to the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorist groups.

Over the years, there have been various attacks on mosques and churches, leaving both religions to suffer the effect of attacks by the terrorist groups.

MARGINALISATION IN LAND ACQUISITION: THE C Of O TUSSLE

Although Muslims and Christians weather the storm together, one of the top recurring problems facing Christians is the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), which is issued by a local government agency or building department to certified that the owner of a building complied with applicable codes and other laws. The document gives the go ahead for occupancy of any building.

However, Christians have been finding it difficult to obtain this certificate and own lands for church construction for years.

In an interview, Bishop Naga said Borno State the last certificate was issued in 1979. Therefore, for 42 years, Christians have had to find alternative worship places.

Pastor Azumi, whose church has been running for over 35 years, highlighted some of the challenges churches face in obtaining the certification.

“At the time this church started, there was no problem. It is now that these issues are rising. Majority of us here (the old churches) have our C of O and we are friends with the Muslims,” he said.

Pastor Azumi's Church— the End Time Harvest Church — Pastor Azumi’s Church— the End Time Harvest Church

This is not the case today. Bowman confirmed the bishop’s statement and explained that acquiring land and constructing a church in Borno State is quite difficult.

“One leaves a hoop only to enter another,” he said.

Despite the difficulty that accompanies obtaining a C of O, his church, the EYN, had one and held on to it for years.

“Our church had a C Of O, and we even paid ground rent, tax charged and collected by the State Government on land. We received approval and obtained the necessary documents,” he said.

However, the church was eventually demolished.

While speaking to FIJ, Reverend Auta S. Ndahi of EYN Maduganari explained that the church has local branches across the state and has been in existence since 1923. Although he could not speak for all the churches demolished, he said the LCB Maduganari had C of O.

“We bought the place from an Abuja-based missionary organisation called BES. However, since they have a branch in Maiduguri, they bought the land to carry out some of their activities. Being learned people, some of them are authorities and they were able to secure the C of O, despite being a Christian organisation.”

Auta explained that BES supplied people of the community with bore hole water and produced sachet and bottle water before abandoning the compound.

“We purchased the building legally through the right means and therefore acquired the C of O without any struggle. We equally did change of names.”

Reverend Auta also claimed that the northern part of Borno faced more marginalisation and attack than the southern part.

“Maybe because the churches located in the northern part are not many, the people here feel like we are encroaching on the land. They believe that if we build churches here, we’ll convert their children. That’s why they are resisting us,” said Auta.

He said obtaining land for church construction in the northern part is hard.

“If you mention that the purpose of buying a land is to build a church, they won’t sell it to you, no matter the amount you offer. Therefore, most of the churches you see around here were not bought directly. Churches buy them from other owners, and that’s how they operate,” he said.

“If you go to the government for a plot of land for a church, they will definitely not give it to you. Even if you buy legally and you want to change the C of O from residential or industrial to church, they will not allow it.”

According to MURIC, the act of changing a residence into a worship place without due approval is against the 2010 Government White paper ref No. WPIC/BK/Vol. II/54, which states, “No residential accommodation should be converted into a place of worship for the public by adherents of whichever faith without due compliance with the provisions of any extant law”.

THE PROMISE TO REBUILD

After the demolition, the churches chose to pursue the case through CAN.

“We didn’t take up any lawsuit after the demolition because we were not fighting the government. In his speech, the governor said that he was not aware of the demolition, and he was also not aware that the place had C of O. So, he has it over his table now and has promised to rebuild the place”, Auta said.

The reverend who was a member of the committee constituted by CAN on the demolition confirmed that the governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, paid the family of Ezekiel Bitrus, the deceased, a condolence visit, and he compensated them alongside the injured persons.

“The governor mentioned that the church should remain, as he was ready to rebuild it. If the church was operating illegally, he wouldn’t have said that,” the reverend said.

While waiting for the governor to fulfil his promise, the church constructed a make-shift structure.

Already, Governor Babagana of Borno State has a history of rebuilding churches. According to MURIC, he rebuilt nine churches which were attacked and destroyed by Boko Haram in December 2020.

TOWARD A PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE

To have hitch-free religious activities in the state, Pastor Azumi advised that no religion should be regarded as superior, while urging faithfuls to tolerate one another.

“There are various religions across the world. There’s Hinduism, Buddhism and our religions are just some of them. If we want peace in the north like before, we should forget about religious bias, tribalism, and let’s be one. Eventually, we’ll all leave the world one day. We are not here to stay,” he said.

This story was produced with the support of the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), in partnership with Code for Africa and Ayin Network.

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