Governor Zulum demolished more mosques than churches in Borno - MURIC tells CAN

The Islamic human rights advocacy group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has revealed that the Borno state government demolished 11 mosques and four churches.

The Nation reports that MURIC's director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, disclosed this in a statement made available to reporters on Tuesday, August 10, contrary to claims that only churches were demolished in the state.

Akintola noted that a team of investigators working with MURIC visited each of the sites where the mosques were demolished, interviewed residents and gathered photographs and data that showed locations of each of the 11 mosques and dates of their demolition by officials of the Borno state government.

Borno government right for demolishing 11 mosques

Daily Trust also reports that the group noted that the mosques violated the purpose approved in residential titles, which was in compliance with a 2010 Government White Paper in response to the 2009 Boko Haram insurgency, which strictly prohibited the conversion of any residential house to a place of worship in all parts of the state. He noted that two mosques were again demolished by BOGIS on the same day (March 11, 2020), at old Musami complex along Jos road in Maiduguri.

Akintola also noted that a mosque was demolished on the same day opposite former NITEL. Another mosque was demolished on April 15, 2020 along Kano Road, adjoining Bulumkutu, Yola Electricity Distribution Company, YEDC.

CAN chairman condemns demolition of church in Maiduguri

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the Borno state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) demanded the reconstruction of five churches demolished by the Borno state government at various locations in Maiduguri.

It was reported that a 20-year-old labourer, identified as Ezekiel Bitrus Tumba, was shot dead by a member of the Civilian Joint Taskforce (CJTF) attached to the Borno Geographic information System (BOGIS).

The youths of the EYN church attempted to stop the officials of BOGIS from demolishing the church by hurling stones at them.