As tension rises across the 36 states of Nigeria before the presidential election, and after the reported endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by Bishop David Oyedepo, suspected political thugs have burned down a branch of the Living Faith Church, aka Winners Chapel.

WINNERS.

The Trent reported that the incident occurred at a branch of the Living Faith Church in Giwa, the capital of Giwa local government area of Kaduna state.

It was reported that the entire church with all the contents was completely destroyed in the inferno which occurred at about 2.30pm on Friday March 20, 2015.
The incident, which took place less than 48 hours to the country’s long-awaited presidential election, was reportedly carried out by two men on a motorcycle.
The attack was generally believed to have been politically motivated because it happened a few months after the reported endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the Founder of the Church, Bishop David Oyedepo.

In a reaction to the incident, the president of Tarayyar Masihiyawan Nijeria (Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri Christians), General Ishaku Ahmed Dikko (retd), and Sunny Oibe, the director of national issues at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) issued a statement on Thursday, March 26, 2015.

The Christian body in a statement titled, “Presidential Elections 2015: Signs of what to expect,” urged security agencies to act quickly in order to avert violence in the area.

The statement read in part:

“The incidence actually became more worrisome when no effort was made by a passersby to assist in putting out the fire. In fact, it was a Fulani herdsman that saw the fire and reported to the Police Station. Only one Policeman and a Christian volunteer that ran to the scene and attempted to put out the fire but of course could not achieve anything.

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