Unrest roiled Katangan area of Warji Local Government Area of Bauchi State, on Saturday, as a pastor had been reportedly injured and many houses burnt by some irate youths who went on the rampage over blasphemy claim.
While full details of the incident remains sketchy as of press time, it was gathered that the incident might not be unconnected with the gruesome killing of Deborah Samuel, a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto state.
Sources privy to the matter informed members of the press that there has been panic in the community following the reaction of a Christian girl in the town, who condemned the killing of Deborah.
The girl’s message which was circulated on social media was said to have upset the youths, degenerating into a brawl as several churches have been attacked.
A pastor of an ECWA Church in the area was said to have been badly injured during the attack.
“What I learnt was that a Christian girl allegedly posted and commented on something on social media which has to do with the incident in Sokoto and that was how it started.
“The situation there is more than tension since many houses have been burnt down. But no life that was lost, to the best of my knowledge.
“A shop which belongs to an ECWA Church in the area was also burnt down. And I learnt that the District Head of the area and the leaders are on top of the situation. The police have also been informed about it.
“We were at home this evening when we heard shouts from some muslim youths in their numbers who went on the rampage and besieged an ECWA Church in the area.
“But Christian youths and others resisted and repelled them but that was after they had burnt down a shop attached to the church. Many houses were burnt down by the rampaging youths.
“In the process, one of the pastors of the ECWA church was seriously wounded; as I speak to you now, efforts are on to save his life,” the source was quoted to have said.
Recall recently Deborah was beaten and set ablaze by her colleagues, believed to be Muslim faithfuls over alleged blasphemous language used by her on their WhatsApp group chat.
