A pastor of one of the churches attacked by suicide bombers in Kaduna on Sunday has recounted the scary experience.
Shalom Church Pastor Oyewale Israel said yesterday that he had a premonition of the attack and took spiritual steps to prevent it.
He spoke during Governor Patrick Yakowa’s and Deputy Governor Mukhtar Yero’s visit to the scene of last Monday’s destruction.
Pastor Isreal told the governor that he requested for soldiers to man the church’s gate because of the premonition.
According to him, he was at the Ungwan Rimi branch of the church when his spirit told him to return to the headquarters at Trikania. On his way, he saw a suspicious Honda car near the church.
Said the pastor: “Around 10 minutes to 10, thereabout, I was so restless that I felt that something was about to happen. So, I asked all the church members to stand up and that we should lay hands on our heads and pray that our heads should reject where the evil was coming from. We were in the process of that prayer when we heard the explosion.”
Pastor Israel noted that he was looking out of the window while the prayer was going on and saw the soldier and driver of the car arguing.
“Suddenly, the driver sped off and drove towards the church but fell into a gutter in front of the church,” he said, adding:
“While struggling to pull the car out of the gutter, the bomb exploded and killed three people- the soldier at the gate, one church security man and a man standing by the entrance of the church. Others sustained injuries. “
The pastor recalled that the explosive in the trunk of the car flew towards the gate and not towards the church, which had about 2,000 worshippers, thereby reducing the number of casualty. He described the incident as “sad, terrible and unfortunate.
Yakowa thanked God for saving the lives of the 2,000 worshippers. He said the incident should be seen as a lesson from God.
The governor said: “What I want to request from you is for you to use your God-given position to preach to your worshippers and indeed all the neighbouring communities here, that when something like this happens, the solution does not lie in any kind of reprisal.
“Let us resist the temptation; the urge is there; the temptation is there because people will always feel aggrieved. Let us rather pray that God should touch the heart of these people, instead of revenge.
“Let us pray in our churches, let us pray in our mosques that God should touch the hearts of criminals like these to stop this dastard act and allow people to live in peace and worship in all places of their choice; whether in churches or mosques”.
The governor urged Muslim and Christian youths not to take the law into their hands.
The government urged residents to remain indoors.
A statement by the governor’s spokesman, Reuben Buhari, said: “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, once again commiserates with all those affected in the crises of the past few days in Kaduna State.
“While sharing in their grief, it’s however important to inform the whole state that the 24 hours curfew earlier imposed in the state is still in force and security agencies have been asked to ensure its full compliance.
“As distasteful as the imposition of the 24 hours curfew is, the good citizens of Kaduna State should understand that the measure became necessary for the good of the state and the benefit of its citizens.
“People are expected to cooperate fully with security agencies who are saddled with the task of restoring full peace and order in our state.
His Excellency further calls on people to absolutely disregard all mischievous text messages and rumours being circulated on impending crisis or attacks.
“All these rumours are meant to further throw the state into chaos. His Excellency also calls on all the inhabitants of Kaduna State to show love to one another, regardless of religious or ethnic differences.”
