Nigeria Redeemed Church in Niger State Destroyed by Fire in Early Morning Attack

Early Saturday, unidentified arsonists destroyed the Redeemed Christian Church of God (Champion Zonal Headquarters) in Kontagora, Niger State. This marks a repeat of a decade-old attack. The church's leaders condemn the act as barbaric, urging authorities to act swiftly to address and investigate the arson.

Early Saturday morning, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (Champion Zonal Headquarters) on Federal College of Education (FCE) Road in Kontagora, Niger State, was engulfed in flames. Unidentified individuals carried out the arson attack around 3:00 AM, destroying the church building that had been a place of worship for 20 years.

This recent incident is reminiscent of an earlier attack a decade ago when the church was set on fire by unknown assailants who had threatened to prevent its completion. The church's assistant pastor, Samson Ogbebor, received a distress call about the fire and arrived to find the building gutted and its property looted. Despite having faced numerous challenges, including difficulties with repairs and previous attacks, the church had persevered.

Most Rev. Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, condemned the attack, calling it "barbaric" and stressing the need for a robust response from the government and security forces. Yohanna emphasized that freedom of worship should be protected and that the perpetrators must be identified and held accountable.

Elder John Aboje expressed determination among church members to remain steadfast in their faith and citizenship despite the setbacks. The incident has been reported to the Division ‘A’ Police Station in Kontagora, which is investigating the attack.