Stefanos Foundation on the 10th June Jos bombing

ANOTHER BOMB EXPLOSION IN JOS, PLATEAU STATE,

ON SUNDAY, 10TH JUNE, 2012

In what has become a continued attack on Christians, their properties and places of worship, Sunday the 10th June, 2012 was another black Sunday for residents of Jos where the Christ Chosen Church of God, Rukuba Road, Jos, in Plateau State was attacked by a suicide bomber who blew himself in the car, the impact of which collapsed the entire Church building.

Eye witnesses, who spoke with Stefanos Foundation said, “...they saw a Golf car with a license registration number BSA36AA and an STF hilux Car driving up and down the road as though they were on patrol. The Golf car had two men in military uniform. They earlier drove to St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Rukuba Road, but where prevented from driving in by the security men at the gate. From there, they proceeded to ECWA Church which is not far from St. Peter’s. However, the security in the Church was high because they were observing the ‘Boys Brigade’s Week,’ with serious checking of vehicles coming into the church premises. Not wanting to be checked, they turned and drove away to Christ Chosen Church of God, which is barely some 100 metres away from the ECWA Church.”

Another eye-witness further told Stefanos Foundation that, he saw the Golf Car dropping two men in military uniform; and as soon as the suicide bomber made his move towards the Church building, the hilux military patrol truck zoomed away, allowing the suicide bomber to accelerate towards the fenceless Church building and detonated the bomb while service was on.

Over forty five persons were injured in the bomb blast, which also include the Pastor of the church, his wife and their two children. 

This kind of attacks has been the style of “Terror against Non-Muslims and innocent citizens” by the Islamic Sect, Boko Haram, who has claimed responsibility for the suicide bomb attack, of Sunday, 10th June, 2012 in Jos, as part of their campaign seeking to destabilise the government and impose Shari’a Law in Nigeria, which has a majority non-Muslim’s population. 

According to Sunday Okobi, published in Daily Trust Newspaper of 11th June, 2012, 

 “Indication emerged yesterday (Sunday, 10th June, 2012) over plots by certain elements in the country to destabilise the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, using Boko Haram, as cover. Sources said, a group of individuals are unhappy with the appointment of National Security Adviser (NSA) Gen. Andrew Azazi and some key Ministers, have vowed to destabilise the government through the perpetration of violent attacks in strategic national institutions.”

“The sources cited the continuous retention of the NSA as being reprehensive to the group, vowing to sabotage his efforts at combating national insecurity. According to a source, the aggrieved group is said to be angered that all-important and strategic office of the NSA had for the first time slipped out of the hands of the north and was currently being held by “a southerner and an outsider.”

“The source also maintained that the group was particularly aggrieved that, President Jonathan, despite discreet moves to dump Azazi have failed to yield fruit. It was further alleged that the group had been pressurising the president through some powerful politicians and traditional rulers to sack Azazi and replace him with any of the former military chiefs who had held the office before.”

“Azazi who assumed the office of the NSA on October 4, 2010 became the first non-northern to be appointed security adviser since independent.”

It is very obvious that, the Boko Haram Sect, has the backings of some the northern elites and is being used to make the country ungovernable for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.