Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Wednesday ordered the shutdown of two churches, a seminary and one hospital at Saminaka in Lere Local Government.
El-Rufai ordered that the buildings be closed down to prevent a breakdown of law and order, following the leadership crisis in the Assemblies of God Church (AGC) at Saminaka District in Lere local Government.
Samuel Aruwan, Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, said in a statement that the measure was taken at the end of a Security Council meeting. The governor said the step was to forestall sectarian crisis in the local government and in the state.
According to the statement, names of the affected religious institutions are: Theological Seminary of Northern Nigeria (TSNN), Saminaka; Shalom Comprehensive College, Saminaka; Assemblies of God Church, Nmbare, Saminaka; Assemblies of God Church (Jerusalem) Saminaka, and the AGC Evangelist Hospital, Saminaka.
He said his administration would not entertin the use of religion and ethnicity by any individual or group to cause crisis.
He said his government would prosecute anyone causing crisis.
The governor said those affected would be admitted into government schools or hospitals, if they so wished, adding that the government and security agencies would watch development in the area.
He said the status quo regarding farmlands, houses and other assets of the church should be upheld, pending the resolution of the leadership crisis, which is a matter before the Supreme Court.
