Date:                March 20, 2007

Islamists take over or destroy structures; Christians prohibited from buying or building.

by Obed Minchakpu

SOKOTO, Nigeria March 20 (Compass Direct News) – The Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest Pentecostal churches in Nigeria, is also one of the fastest growing churches in Africa. It is a cradle of miraculous healing, signs and wonders, but there is one miracle the church in this northern city has been unable to muster: keeping a Shiite sect from taking over its property. An Islamic group called Izala has built a mosque near the denomination’s Kokeri parish and taken the church to court to force it relocate and take over its property, Pastor Abisona Michael told Compass. Asserting no legal reason, the Izala leaders are simply hoping the court, filled with Muslim judges, will seize the property and give it to them, Michael said. “Such cases are very common in northern Nigeria, and the church is helpless about it,” he said. Area Izala leaders declined to speak with Compass on the issue, citing the pending court case.