By Faith Chondol
The Gwoza Christian Community Association (GCCA) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to take immediate and personal leadership in addressing renewed insurgency, insecurity, and prolonged displacement affecting Christian communities in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
In a Press statement, the association appealed to the President to act under the Renewed Hope Agenda to halt what it described as a continued campaign of insurgency and escalating insecurity spreading from Gwoza. GCCA demanded swift federal intervention, an independent investigation, equitable reconstruction, urgent humanitarian relief, and visible guarantees for the safe return of displaced persons.
According to the association, the devastation in Gwoza has been massive and sustained. GCCA said too many churches, homes, and lives have been destroyed, while many community members remain unaccounted for. It added that silence and denial have deepened the community’s grief, stressing that urgent presidential action could prevent the “slow death” of the Gwoza Christian community.
The association revealed that before the insurgency, Gwoza Local Government Area had 176 large churches with capacities of 500 worshippers and above. Out of these, 146 were burnt and remain in ruins. The 12 churches currently standing were restored by Vice President Kashim Shettima during his tenure as Governor of Borno State.
GCCA gave detailed accounts of killings and destruction. In Gwoza West alone, 74 towns and villages were reportedly sacked, 36,946 families displaced, 99 churches destroyed, and 292 people killed. In Attagara, 13 churches were destroyed, 1,708 families displaced, and 140 Christians killed. Between June and August 2014, 2,203 Christian houses and 28 churches were destroyed in Gwoza town, Kamba, and Gaza, while 102 Christians, including three pastors, were killed. The association said a total of 12 pastors were killed across Gwoza LGA.
In other Christian communities such as Ngoshe, Oko, Pulka, Lamankara, Parawa, and Gava North, GCCA said the scale of destruction and loss of lives exceeded expectations. The association disclosed that about 107,000 Gwoza Christians are currently in 27 IDP camps across seven Nigerian states, while an additional 50,000 are displaced in Minawao refugee camp in Cameroon or living with relatives, many for over a decade.
GCCA further alleged unequal reconstruction and resettlement, claiming that while Muslim homes and properties have been rebuilt on their original lands, Christian survivors have largely been excluded. It said that out of thousands of resettlement houses built, only three Christian beneficiaries could be identified. The association also accused authorities of erasing Christian heritage, citing the demolition of a church at Gwoza General Hospital and its conversion into a solar farm, while a nearby mosque was rebuilt.
The group raised concerns over unresolved abductions and alleged persecution. Five GCCA members, including a former Vice Chairman of Gwoza LGA, were reportedly abducted on July 30, 2013, and remain missing. Witnesses allegedly reported the involvement of military vehicles. The association said the five wives and 17 children of the missing persons have received no sustained legal, psychosocial, or economic support. It also condemned the arrest of Miss Lami and her husband, Mr. Amos, in Maiduguri for sharing their faith, describing the case as non-criminal and an example of persecution.
GCCA also accused authorities of systematic exclusion in education and governance, noting that Christian Religious Knowledge is not taught in public schools across Gwoza LGA and that public office and traditional leadership positions are allegedly monopolized, denying fair representation.
GCCA’s Demands
The association called on President Tinubu to take the following actions:
Restore homes and ensure return: Rebuild homes on ancestral lands in Gwoza and ensure transparent repatriation and resettlement. GCCA rejected cash compensation for refugees in Cameroon, insisting on rebuilding homes and handing over keys to rightful owners.
Audit reconstruction projects: Order an immediate and transparent audit of all reconstruction and resettlement projects in Gwoza LGA, publish beneficiaries’ lists, budgets, and audited expenditures, and mandate restitution where inequities are found.
Investigate abductions: Direct a full independent investigation into the abduction and disappearance of the five GCCA members in July 2013, including access to military vehicle movement records and detention registers, with public reporting and prosecution.
Restore places of worship: Mandate restitution and restoration of Christian places of worship, starting with the church at Gwoza General Hospital, and conduct a comprehensive survey to repair all destroyed churches.
Guarantee equitable resettlement: Issue a federal directive to ensure equitable resettlement, land restitution, livelihood support, and security guarantees for Christian survivors, with a clear timetable for safe return.
End systemic exclusion: Reinstate Christian Religious Knowledge in public schools in Gwoza LGA and ensure fair representation in the civil service and local governance through transparent and free electoral processes.
Provide humanitarian support: Offer immediate humanitarian, legal, and psychosocial assistance to the five women and 17 children of the missing persons and mobilize targeted federal aid for the 27 Gwoza Christian IDP camps and Minawao refugee camp.
Acknowledge grievances: Publicly acknowledge the specific grievances of Gwoza Christians and commit to clear timelines and oversight mechanisms for redress.
Strengthen security: Deploy a military battalion and establish a barracks in Gwoza East to deter insurgent regrouping.
Establish a resettlement committee: Set up a special repatriation and resettlement committee comprising professionals, religious leaders, and representatives of affected communities.
The GCCA stressed that it does not seek confrontation but “truth, justice, and a dignified path home,” urging President Tinubu, as the father of the nation, to demonstrate federal concern and leadership by meeting these demands.
Post Comment