Several Christians worshippers at Methodist and other churches in Ibrahim Taiwo area of Ilorin and Muslims that were having their new year eve programme were attacked by irate youths after clash erupted and left three persons seriously injured, while vehicles and other domestic properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.
Kwara police command in a swift reaction Tuesday afternoon claimed it had so far arrested ten persons in connection with the incident.
Also, Govennor Abdulfatah Ahmed in his reaction condemned the action of the youths describing it as criminal and ordered the police to launch manhunt to nab the perpetrators.
It was reported that the suspected youths in Taiwo metropolis of Ilorin had gone on rampage to celebrate the carnival despite their refusal by the leaders of the area not to go ahead with the carnival on the eve night of the new year in the area.
Churches attacked included Christ Apostolic Church, CAC, Oke-Isegun, the Methodist Cathedral and the St. Joseph Catholic Cathedral, all located within the Ibrahim Taiwo Road in Ilorin, the state capital.
In a statement signed by T.O. Opoola, the State CAN chairman, made available to journalists on Wednesday in Ilorin, the association appealed to Kwara State Government to prevent further attacks on churches and Christian worshippers in Kwara State, particularly in the Ilorin metropolis.
The association said that the incident happened at about 2 a.m. on January 1, 2018 when some miscreants attacked the CAC, Oke-Isegun, located at the Taiwo Isale Area of the metropolis.
The statement said that the fanatics destroyed the gate of the Methodist Cathedral and forcefully entered the premises, destroyed some church buildings and vehicles. The miscreants moved from the Methodist church to CAC, and then St. Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral premises, where they destroyed buildings, religious articles and vehicles.
The association said that at this point, the CAN chairman had to phone the state Commissioner of Police that the CAC and Methodist Church were under attack.
NAN reports that the governor on Monday issued a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, AbdulWahab Oba, condemning the attacks. He directed the relevant security agencies to investigate the matter.
(NAN)
