Kaduna’s 110-yr-old church demolition: El-Rufai’s final decision triggers reaction from CAN

As reactions and counter reactions rage on concerning the decision of the Kaduna state urban planning authorities to demolish a 100-year-old St George Anglican Church in Zaria, church, the state governor has stepped in to make the final decision.

And, for the first time in years, the state’s chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria comment positively about Gov Nasir El-Rufai many believe is anti-Christians.

The CAN Chairman in the State, Rev. Joseph Hayab, revealed Friday the director general of the Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Agency, said that the Church won’t be touched because of its historical value.

The KASUPDA had served the church with a seven-day quit notice which it claimed was a directive from Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

This generated an uproar Thursday—by CAN.

The matter however had a twist the following day.

“The Church will remain base on its historical value, while the market source for expansion elsewhere,” the DG Ismail Dikko said.

For this, CAN’s chairman commended the state government for listening to the yearnings of the people by reversing its earlier decision to halt any demolition plan on the church.

“What we are saying is that government should remain a listening government. Democracy thrives when government listen to the people but when government don’t listen to people, people think negatively about every action it takes,” said Hayab.