Since the dreaded Boko Haram sect started its attack on the ancient city of Kano, the peace which the city was known for appears to be history as church attendance is at its lowest ebb. KOLA OYELERE reports.

MOST Christians in Kano State are known to be people who never joke with their faith. This can be seen in the way they troop out to their respective churches on Sundays for worship service or during the week for mid-week services. For many years now, hardly do churches close down in the ancient city and refuse to hold services, but events in the recent time have proved this wrong.

The fear of Boko Haram and possibility of bomb hurling at churches has forced many Christians out of churches, leaving them with the option of either to serve God in public or in private.

Following the January 20th, 2012 bomb blast that rocked state, churches have closed down, while worshippers have deserted their places of worship.

The sounds of drums and other musical instruments often heard when services are on have gone as graveyard silence now prevails over many churches in the town.

The worshippers, who have either relocated outside the state or holing up in their respective houses or secret locations, are said to have given churches in the state a wide berth in order to save their lives from attacks. Unconfirmed reports have it that some of them could be meeting secretly in unknown locations to keep their fellowship with God alive.

To many of them the Bible does not indicate rigidly that services must be held in churches alone, especially at a time when security of lives cannot be guaranteed. They believe in the biblical verse that states where two or more are gathered in the name of God, He is there in their midst. Therefore, it is better for them to pray at home, than to go to churches where they could meet their untimely death.

Sunday Tribune sought the opinion of Reverend Ebenezer Osadeyi of First Baptist Church, Kan, on why the members of his church have resolved not to attend church services since the January 20th bomb blast. The cleric said he was sad with the situation. “In fact, I am not happy that members of the church have not been coming for Sunday services due to the attack which rocked the state recently, but there is little I can do, because I am not God that is capable of solving the problems.

“The reason is obvious, people are afraid that if they attend churches they may be attacked and instead of been attacked, they prefer staying at home to pray to God.”

Though Rev. Osadeyi commended the security operatives for all possible steps taken so far to protect lives and property in the state, he said more needed to be done to allay the fear of not only Christians but the entire residents of the state.

He charged all religious leaders in the country to preach love and tolerance, saying their prayers to God would also help in solving the security challenge in the state and the country in general.

“We have a duty to preach tolerance and pray to God to take control of everything. Indeed, thick cloud of fear currently looms on Kano State.

People don't have rest of mind. It is not a matter of whether you are a Christian or Muslim; we are all affected,” Rev. Osadeyi said.

Speaking in the same vein, Reverend Paul Akinlade of the Holy Trinity Church, Kano, said nobody wished to die and that no one prayed for the recurrence of the January 20th bomb blast in the state.

Rev. Akinlade said that very soon the security challenge would become a thing of the past, adding that no problem lasts forever.

“Look at what happen to Job, despite the fact that he was tormented by the devil with many afflictions; he eventually came out of his problems triumphant. Whatever we are passing through today as Christians or as a nation will not last. God will intervene. He will not allow his own to suffer injustice,” the cleric added.

Primate Babajide Aduragbemi of the Christ Church Spiritual House, Kano, also attributed the low turn out of worshippers during Sunday services to the recent predicament of January 20th, 2012, which he said was a terrible day in Kano. He then called for collective prayers that would touch the hearts of those shedding the blood of innocent people in the country.

Sunday Tribune also spoke to the cross section of worshippers in Kano on why they have abstained from Sunday services. Mr. Dele Titiloye, who attends a Baptist Church in Kano, said 'It is not easy. Who wants to die? People have learnt a good lesson from what happened recently.”

Prince Titiloye noted that apart from the fact that people are afraid of attending church services, many in the wake of crisis that engulfed Kano have left the state for their respective states, saying this is also another factor that makes church attendance to be low.

Another resident of Kano, Mrs Esther Aboderin, said low attendance in churches should be expected in view of the recent crisis that occurred in Kano where hundreds of lives were lost.

Mrs. Eunice Okonkwo of the Living Faith Church, however, attributed failure of Christians to attend churches to the information received about the planned attacks of churches in Kano by Boko Haram.  “We received information that Boko Haram sect has made churches their next target.

Nobody will hear that and still want to risk his or life by going for service on Sunday,'' she said.

Mr. John Agbor, another resident of the town, said 'I have sent my family back home, they are now in Enugu. I am the only person living in Kano.' He said he looked forward to a time when peace would reign in Kano, so that he could bring his family to live with him.

General opinion in the town is that God should intervene in the situation of things in Kano as people seem to be finding it difficult to erase from their memories the horrendous killing of people in the ancient town recently.