The Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) has expressed concern over the outbreak of fresh hostilities in Tafawa-Balewa and Bogoro local government areas of Bauchi State during which Christians were reportedly killed.
Rising from an executive council meeting held in Jos, the church regretted that mercenaries were hired from some parts of Plateau state to launch the attack on the Christians over their resistance to the implementation of the Sharia legal code in the two LGs.
A communiqué at the end of the meeting which was jointly signed by COCIN President, Rev. Alexander Lar and general secretary, Rev. John Audu stated that the fresh attack coming shortly after the recent one during which property including the church's bible school located in Tafawa Balewa were burnt down is disturbing.
It alleged that the mercenaries were recruited from Wase, Yelwa, Shendam, Kurgwi, Namu and Mangu all in Plateau state and taken through boundary villages between the two states into Bogoro to launch the attack on Christians.
It called on Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau state to investigate the development and bring the sponsors to book, adding: "The involvement of hired killers using the good name of Plateau state is most shocking." COCIN also appealed to President Olusegun Obasanjo to prevail on the Bauchi state government to exercise restraint in implementing Sharia especially in the two Christian-dominated local government areas which people have overwhelmingly rejected the implementation in their areas.
"At a time when serious efforts are being exerted to nourish our young democracy, COCIN finds no just and sensible reason in the destruction of lives and property as is being witnessed in the name of religion," it stressed.