Sunday parked their vehicles outside their
church premises in compliance with a
directive aimed at checking incidents of
suicide attacks during Sunday services.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls
that the directive to park vehicles outside
churches emerged after a meeting presided
over by the Plateau Commissioner of Police,
Mr Emmnuel Ayeni.
The meeting had in attendance the
representatives of state chapters of the
Jama'atul Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Christian
Association of Nigeria(CAN).
The situation was as a resut of the spate of
suicide bombings recorded at churches in
the city on Sundays recently, as well as its
general state of insecurity.
NAN correspondents who visited some
churches in the Jos metropolis observed
that most worshippers did not park their
cars within the premises of the buildings.
At the Living Faith Church on Richards
street, even the Senior Pastor, Abel
Dingamaji, did not park in his official
parking space but parked outside the
premises like other members.
At the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church
on Murtala Mohammed Way, worshippers’
vehicles were barred from the premises.
However, the parking lot of the Church of
Immaculate Conception, Zaramangada was
empty as most people did not bring their
vehicles to the church.
The premises of Living Faith Church, Rantya
had only 10 vehicles.
The church’s Senior Pastor, Adebusola
Olurotimi, later told members that no vehicle
would be allowed into the premises as from
next Sunday.
NAN also observed that handbags were not
allowed into the churches as ladies were
directed to drop their bags at the security
posts.
They were also advised to enter the church
building for the service with only their Holy
Bibles and writing pads.
Meanwhile, security was beefed up across
the metropolis while men of the military
Special Task Force (STF) conducted thorough
stop-and-search checks on vehicles,
motorcycles and passengers.
This was in compliance with the directive
by the STF Commander, Maj.-Gen.
Mohammed Ibrahim, who decried the
alleged use of military uniform by suicide
bombers.
He had consequently directed that
everybody, including security personnel, be
subjected to rogorous checks to halt the
trend.
Consequently, vehicle bonnets and boots
were searched while motorcyclists and their
passengers were searched by the soldiers
to ensure that they were not carrying any
explosive device.
Roads leading to the churches were also
blocked and diverted by the churches’
security personnel and stern-looking armed
soldiers who ensured compliance.
Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) were
stationed at strategic locations while men of
the STF, Police Force and Nigerian Security
and Civil Defence Corps carried out vehicular
patrols.
Many churches had also erected barriers
and security posts on the roads leading to
their premises, while some erected concrete
culvert rings around the premises to ward
off attacks.
This development however caused serious
traffic congestion in the metropolis, thus
preventing most worshippers from getting
to their churches early in spite of arriving
about about an hour earlier.
Attendance in most churches was also low
as many worshippers had to turn back,
while some others were discouraged from
coming for services as a result of the
situation on ground.
NAN, however, observed that most of the
security personnel were courteous in
attending to the worshippers and others.
Speaking on the situation, the Police Public
Relations Officer, ASP Samuel Dabai, called
for the residents’ understanding.
``This is a quest to check the new trend of
insecurity in the metropolis, and we want all
residents to show understanding,’’ he said.
(NAN)
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