Names of Christian churches and their pastors and founders in Jos, Plateau State prior to the September 2001 riots; those pastors and founders killed or missing as a result of the riots [NGA39307.E]

No lists of Christian churches and their pastors and founders in Jos, Plateau State, prior to the September 2001 riots could be found among sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, according to a Center for Religious Freedom (CRF) senior fellow and author of the Talibanization of Nigeria: Sharia Law and Religious Freedom, "[m]ost churches simply don't keep records, and [staffing] can be very informal. Even when I looked into church burnings, the most that someone would have would be handwritten notes. The independent congregations ... usually don't [keep records] -- and often their pastors are part-time" (1 Aug. 2002). Regarding a list of churches, the senior fellow stated in a telephone interview that he doubted that a list existed and noted that there are a lot of independent congregations which "spring up all over the place ... there would probably be thousands of them" (31 July 2002).

An associate professor of biblical theology in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Jos wrote that there are over 600 churches associated with the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Plateau State (2 Aug. 2002). This figure does not include the mainline churches such as the Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA), Church of Christ in Nigeria and others (ibid.).

However, references to the following churches, pastors and founders in Jos were found among sources consulted by the Research Directorate:

Most Rev. Gabriel G. Ganaka, Archbishop of Jos, Archdiocesan Secretariat, 20 Joseph Gomwalk Rd, POB 494, Jos, Plateau (Europa 2001 2001, 3012).

Our Lady Fatima Catholic Church (the largest church in Jos), Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN), and The Apostolic Church (TAC) (Newswatch 23 Sept. 2001).

Holy Trinity Church (BBC News 12 Sept. 2001).

The Assemblies of God, and the Jos Apostolic Church (Christianity Today 1 Oct. 2001).

Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA), P.O. Box 63, Jos, Plateau State (Reformed Online 6 Dec. 2001).

Reformed Church of Christ in Nigeria, P.O. Box 261, Jos, Plateau State (Reformed Ecumenical Council n.d.).

Immanuel Baptist Church and Lowcost COCIN Church of Jos, Plateau State (Univeristy of Jos 2 Aug. 2002).

According to an associate professor of biblical theology in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Jos, "[d]uring the Muslim-Christian crisis in Jos in September of 2001, there was one pastor killed. He was Rev. Musa Bot, pastor of the Lowcost COCIN Church in Jos .... From the contacts I consulted, that is the only pastor who was killed and there are no missing pastors that we know of" (2 Aug. 2002).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


BBC News. 12 September 2001. "Renewed Fighting in Jos." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/africa/1540720.stm [Accessed 1 Aug. 2002]

Center for Religious Freedom (CRF), Washington, DC. 1 August 2002. Correspondence from senior fellow.

_____. 31 July 2002. Telephone interview with senior fellow.

Christianity Today. 1 October 2001. "Religious Riots in Nigeria Leave Hundreds Dead." http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/140/23.0.html [Accessed 1 Aug. 2002]

The Europa World Yearbook 2001. 2001. Vol. 2. London: Europa Publications.

Newswatch [Lagos]. 23 September 2001. "Mayhem in Tin City." http://allafrica.com/stories/200110010001.html [Accessed 1 Aug. 2002]

Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC). n.d. "Member Churches; Reformed Church of Christ in Nigeria (RCCN)." http://www.gospelcom.net/rec/rccn.html [Accessed 26 July 2002]

Reformed Online. 6 December 2001. "Evangelical Church of West Afrika." http://www.reformiert-online.net:8080/t/eng/weltweit/detail.jsp?id=1436 [Accessed 1 Aug. 2002]

____. 27 March 2002 "About Us." http://www.reformiert-online.net:8080/t/eng/imp/index.jsp [Accessed 1 Aug. 2002]

According to its website, Reformed online is a "global Internet information service and a platform for communication with Reformed Protestants. It houses information about Reformed Protestantism worldwide" (27 Mar. 2002).

University of Jos, Nigeria. 2 August 2002. Correspondence from associate professor of biblical theology in the Department of Religious Studies.

Additional Sources Consulted


IRB Databases

NEXIS

World Christian Encyclopaedia

Unsuccessful attempts to contact these organizations: Christian Association of Nigeria, Christian Council of Nigeria, Fellowship of Christian Churches in Nigeria, Civil Liberties Organization in Nigeria, Watchtower Society in Lagos, Joint Christian Ministry of West Africa, Christian Foundation for Social Justice and Equity.

Internet sites including:

AllAfrica.com

Christianity Today

Churches Network

Daily Champion

International Christian Concern

Keston Institute - UK

Net Ministries

Newswatch Nigeria

U.S. Department of State

Vanguard

World Evangelical Alliance

World News.com

World News Connection (WNC)

Search engines including:

Google