From Timothy Olanrewaju Maiduguri
The Borno State Chapter if the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has asked the state government to constituted panel of inquiry to probe the shooting and killing of one person during demolition of a church in Maiduguri by state officials.
CAN Chairman, Bishop Naga Mohammed at a press briefing weekend in Maiduguri, said the Christian community would prefer a panel of inquiry into the incident than the one by police and Department of State Security Services (DSS) directed by the state governor.
“We demand the constitution of Judicial panel of inquiry into the shooting and killing at the Maduganari church so as to truly brings the perpetrators to justice,” the chairman said at the conference attended by pastors and church leaders
He also said the body wants a representation of CAN at the probe  panel whenever it is constituted.
It asked the state government to rebuild the five churches demolished by the Borno Geographical Information Service (BOGIS) in Maiduguri metropolis. It urged the state Govenor to use his good office to “resolve all burning issues affecting Christians in the state.”
It said it will continue to tow the line of peace and dialogue with the government to ensure the fragile peace in the state is not compromised
It also asked BOGIS to return all mobile phones seized by its officials before the start of the church demolition last Thursday to the owner, noting that the BOGIS action infringed on the rights of the people to communicate.
It called on all youths to remain calm and eshew any form of violence as the leadership of the Christian community was already in dialogue with the government. The body also sympathised with the family of the deceased, 29 years old Ezekiel Tumba described as the hope and bread-winner of the family.
The demolition of a local branch of EYN Church Maduganari in Maiduguri by officials of BOGIS snowballed into shooting allegedly by men of the Civilian JTF brought to enforce the exercise. One person, Ezekiel Tumba, a mecine, was shot dead while five were injured
Gov Babagana Zulum immediately summoned a meeting with CAN leadership where he directed the police and DSS to investigate the in incident “to bring the perpetrators to book.”
However, angry youths on Friday took to the streets in some parts of Maiduguri for protest, blaming CAN leadership for not acting as they wished. The protest was later brought under control by the police.