Tribune Church

Boko Haram attacked our church when over 80 youths were praying inside —NAGA

Your church was one of those bombed by Boko Haram in 2014. How were you able to recover from the situation?

We thank God for the gift of life. I remember the experience when the Boko Haram insurgents invaded the church around 4pm. They saw the mobile policemen, about six of them and attacked them with a bomb. But the bomb missed them and landed on a tree and got hooked. Till today, there are still bullet holes on the fence of the church. Indeed, it was a miracle, because we had a youth programme that day. Incidentally, the terrorists came during benediction. After the benediction, somebody asked the youth to return to  their seats. As they were returning, the insurgents began the attack. I thank God that none of the youths, about 80 of them, sustained injuries. Two policemen, however, sustained minor injuries, and we took them to the hospital immediately.

 

Why did Boko Haram attack your church? Was it because you converted to Christianity?

No. We were not the only person they attacked. They attacked COCIN Church about the same time and killed a policeman. They attacked EYN Bulunkutu and others. So, it wasn’t targeted only at us. This was after they raided 33 Air Defence; the Air Force base and the police division in Maduguri on December 3, 2013.  It was after these that they came in 2014 and went from one church to another, attacking and killing people inside churches.

 

What is your advice to President Buhari concerning the lingering crisis?

I have been to the president three times. The first time was with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) president, then with the body of northern CAN and with the former governor of Borno State along with stakeholders and elders. I was privileged to speak with him on this matter after former Governor Kashim Shettima spoke and I did tell him the position of CAN in Borno. We also encouraged him for the much he has done. This is because truly, we used to have sleepless nights thinking Borno would be taken over. But as he became the commander in chief, things changed. President Buhari curtailed the activities of Boko Haram, because out of 27 council areas, almost 19 were taken over by the sect and it has been retaken over by the grace of God. Buhari has tried his best, but he has not completed what he intended to do and that is of concern to us. The Gwoza East, especially the hills, has been taken over by Boko Haram. Boko Haram still attacks the camps and withdraws, causing fear in the people. This means they are still very much around in spite of the presence of soldiers.

You have been in several top positions in the vineyard. What is the experience like, especially now that you are Borno State CAN chairman?

I think that was not difficult, although there were many challenges and interests from others, but all the same, that is what God planned. It has been awesome. I am in my second term now. We had the last elections in June and they asked me to go on with a second term. You know we are one body and they can counsel me and I also seek advice from them. We actually work together as a team because we are one body.

 

It is 35 years since you started the ministry and 20 years at the Pentecostal Believers Covenant Church. How has it been?

I had wanted to take teaching job, but God prevented me because of the several challenges I had to deal with. I thank Him for choosing me as one of His vessels, as well as the grace to do His will. I am happy doing the work of God and also I appreciate God for surrounding me with good and caring people. It has not been easy. There have been many challenges. I graduated from the All Nations for Christ Bible College of the late renowned cleric, Archbishop Benson Idahosa, and then worked with COCIN for 11 years. I resigned and started this ministry, which is 20 years today. There was no one to look up to in the beginning except God. My father in the Lord, Reverend Cletus Goma, helped with many pieces of advice. I dreamt as far back as 1986 to start the church and it did not materialise until July 1999. The construction of the church is still ongoing and we believe that it will be dedicated by November.

 

Why did you keep your Islamic name Mohammed after you became Christian?

My full name is Mohammed Abubakar Naga, but I only use Mohammed Naga. I was very young when I became a Christian, so I picked the name Williams in secondary school, but I was afraid to tell them I was a Christian. So, I kept on using Mohammed Naga until I got to the university and it was too late to change my name. There was a time I decided to have a change of name published in a newspaper, but some friends and relations dissuaded me from doing that. But none of my children use the name. I gave them Biblical names usually associated with Hebrew words such as Ketura.

 

What is your view about the Ruga issue?

The problem with Nigerians is that they misinterpret a lot of things. Ruga has been there even from my childhood. The Ruga phenomenon has been around for a long time. Fulani has been rearing cattle, even in the south-eastern part of the country in those days. When I went to Idahosa’s Bible school, I lived around Aba area and these people were there up to Nsukka with their cattle. So, I wonder why they are talking about Ruga now. I know they started with cattle ranching, then they took it up to colony and from colony to Ruga, which is for the people to settle in a place and rear animals as well as have their own side of the settlement to live. With Ruga, you have a small place to keep your animal and bring them out to feed on a daily basis. Where I come from, we marry with cows, so, I am familiar with these practices. The dowry we pay for a wife is cattle. The only difference is that we don’t move around like the Fulani. My mother’s dowry was paid with four cows. We paid four big cows for a lady to get married. If you see someone with four wives, it means he has paid 16 cows. That is the tradition of the Mandara people in Gwoza. We don’t move around, we keep the cows in an enclosure. We the Mandara speaking people thrive on cattle.

Our Reporter

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