A 27-year-old man identified simply as Ezekiel has been killed while five others sustained injuries and currently receiving treatment at the state specialist hospital in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The incident happened while the state Geographic Information System, also known as BOGIS, destroyed a church building located in Maduganari, Maiduguri.
According to eyewitnesses, Ezekiel was shot in the chest by men of the Civilian Joint Task Force, who accompanied and provided protection for the men of the agency while demolishing the church known as Ekklinsiyan Yan’uwa a Nigeria (meaning Church of the Brethren in Nigeria).
“When BOGIS came this morning (Thursday), they came with a bulldozer and started pulling down the roof. The labourers on site started to protest. Meanwhile, the civilian JTF that accompanied the bulldozer and the BOGIS staff had start shooting sporadically into the air.
“So, when the labourers started to protest, the CJTF aimed at Ezekiel and shot him in the chest,” Sunday Musa, one of the eyewitnesses on the church premises told The PUNCH.
Speaking exclusively with The Afrosky News, the Chairman, Christian association of Nigeria, Borno State chapter, Bishop Mohammed Naga, said the demolition of the Church of Brethren in Nigeria, commonly known as EYN was a surprise to him and the Christian community in the state.
He added that there was no prior information to the church of the impending action before the demolition.
The head of BOGIS, Adam Bababe, could not be reached for response when journalists went to meet him in his office.
The Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Edet Okon, said the command had yet to be briefed on the matter.
