TheCable

An operative of the civilian joint task force (CJTF) who allegedly killed a man during the demolition of an Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa Nigeria (EYN) church in Maiduguri, Borno state capital, has been arrested, sources have told TheCable. 

The operative was said to be attached to the Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS) that was on a demolition exercise at the church.

A crowd of young people at the premises had staged a protest after the driver of an excavator started destroying the church, including the properties inside.

The task force operative reportedly opened fire on the youths to disperse them, but a bullet hit a man who was identified as Ezekiel Burris.

Sources said the operative, identified as Baba Bukar, has now been taken into police custody, following a directive by Babagana Zulum, governor of the state, to investigate the incident.   

Zulum had asked the police to arrest and prosecute anyone connected to the violence which led to the death of Burris. 

About 50 pastors in the state had subsequently asked Zulum to rebuild the church.

The pastors also called on the governor to provide assistance for the family of the deceased and those who sustained injury during the incident.

Reacting to the development, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic rights advocacy group, had said claims that only churches have been demolished in the state are false, adding that the BOGIS task force has demolished more mosques than churches.

According to MURIC, the current administration in Borno has since May 2019 demolished 11 mosques and four churches.