The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has described the arrest by the security operative in Kaduna of a Christian who attempted to bomb a branch of the Winners Chapel as a mockery of the recent rallies by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over the state of insecurity in the country.
MURIC in a statement issued by the director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Monday condemned the act and described the arrest as divinely ordained. He commended the Kaduna State police command for its diligence in the matter.
According to the state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Yakubu Sabo, the suspect, a middle aged man by name Nathaniel Samuel, a Christian from Bauchi State, was apprehended inside the church on Sunday with a bag containing items suspected to be Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).
It was reported that about 200 worshippers usually attend the church every Sunday.
The Command had reportedly come under heavy attack from the state branch of CAN which accused it of allegedly changing the name of the suspect from Mohammed to Nathaniel to conceal its identity. Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode also weighed in on the matter and maintained the suspect was a Muslim and not a Christian.
But according to MURIC, the arrest is the outcome of our prayers for Allah to expose all those behind the bombing of churches adding that “are not surprised that the suspect happens to be a Christian. We have said it on several occasions that there is a Christian version of Boko Haram. Christians bomb churches and the whole world blame Nigerian Muslims for the atrocity.
The statement read in parts: “The arrest of Nathaniel Samuel for attempting to bomb this church is not a new development. Victor Moses was arrested on 1st March, 2016 for spying for Boko Haram bombers. He confessed that he carried out surveillance before the bombing of Madalla church in Abuja on 25th December, 2011. It must be noted that for every single arrest there must have been several successful crimes committed. There is no doubt that there are many other Christians warming up somewhere to bomb churches and lay the blame on Muslims.
“We give kudos to the Kaduna Police Command for this feat. People blame the security agencies for no just cause sometimes. This arrest must have been the outcome of careful planning and prolonged surveillance. Those who handled the operation deserve promotion.
“But the arrest of a Christian attempting to bomb a church makes mockery of the rally organized by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday. The rally was called ostensibly to protest against alleged rising insecurity in the country. But God works in wonderful ways. He exposed another plot by a fellow Christian to bomb a church on the same day that CAN called for the rally. The coincidence is equally divine and it gives the impression that the rally itself was nothing but a hocus pocus.
“CAN would have exploded immediately in its usual self-righteousness if Nathaniel Samuel had succeeded in bombing the church yesterday. A world press conference would have been held this morning to blame the killing on Muslims. Also, there would have been screaming headlines in newspapers across the country : Boko Haram Bombs Church Again: Hundreds Killed! White House would have called Aso Rock: Why are you killing Christians? This scenario is becoming too ridiculous. It is turning our country into a bundle of contradictions. We say enough is enough. This hypocrisy in articulated religiousity must stop.
“In a nutshell, MURIC calls on patriotic Nigerians to continue to pray for peace, political stability and economic prosperity. But above all, we call on the security agencies to step up their safety measures. Life is sacred and this country can only make progress in an atmosphere of security. Therefore, the security agencies must be alert to their responsibilities. We charge Nigerians to be extra-vigilant. Our enemies are in our midst”, he added.
