March (Web-only) 2004

ARTICLE TOOLS

Find similar articles E-mail this page

Four churches burned to the ground in northern Nigeria
Alhaji Ibrahim Adamu doesn't like Living Faith Church in Dutse, capital town of the northern Nigerian state of Jigawa. Nigerian newspapers report that two years ago he sued the church for "disturbing the neighborhood by its activities." The church claims that Adamu, apparently a young Muslim, has stolen from the church. Reuters reports that Adamu has been charged with trying to burn Living Faith down.

Yesterday, when Adamu reportedly refused to turn up for a court hearing, the judge ordered him arrested and denied him bail.

Muslim youth in the area didn't like this very much. "The miscreants were angered by the court ruling; they went around the town and burnt down four churches and one hotel," a police officer told Reuters.

The destroyed houses of worship include The Redeemed Christian Church, Calvary Church, and Living Faith Church. No one was killed, and there are so far no reports of injuries. There are also no arrests.

China crackdown on church leaders warning of crackdown:

• China tries church leaders for telling foreigners of Christian crackdown | China has tried three underground church leaders in secret for exposing a crackdown against Christians just days after it passed a constitutional amendment to protect human rights (AFP)
  
  
• Earlier: China Arrests Dozens of Prominent Christians | At least 50 detained in fresh crackdown on house churches, reportedly promoted by new video and book releases. (Christianity Today)
  
  

Other religious conflicts:

• NATO fire teargas in Mitrovica, Serb church on fire | Ethnic Albanians set a Serbian Orthodox church on fire in the flashpoint town of Mitrovica on Thursday, despite NATO troops firing teargas and rubber bullets at the crowd (Reuters)