3 United Methodists Killed in Nigeria Unrest

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Dec. 17, 2024 | HARARE, Zimbabwe (UM News)

Key points:

  • A young man was killed by gunfire and two toddlers died in a fire after their hut was set ablaze amid escalating conflict in rural Nigeria.
  • United Methodist bishops condemned the attacks and offered support to the affected community. They called on members of both The United Methodist Church of Nigeria and the Global Methodist Church to remain peaceful in the midst of conflict.
  • The Global Methodist Church’s Nigeria Bishop John Pena Auta also issued a statement urging the community to embrace peace.

Three United Methodists were killed in clashes between members of The United Methodist Church of Nigeria and the breakaway Global Methodist Church in Munga Dosso, Taraba State.

The attack followed the gathering of Global Methodist Church members at Bwoi United Methodist Church in the village of Bunkabu, despite the closure of both denominations’ churches in September by the government as a result of conflict that caused instability and disrupted peace in the state.

During the confrontation, Elisha Masoyi, 27, a United Methodist and brother of the church lay leader, was shot and killed.

The fighting spread to the surrounding community, where huts were torched, resulting in the deaths of 4-year-old Abednego and 2-year-old Baby, children of Abraham Kefas, a church member and overseer of Divine Success UMCN Nursery and Primary School in the Munga Dosso community. Ten church members were injured and are being treated at home.

In a statement, United Methodist Bishop-elect Ande Emmanuel and Nigeria Lead Bishop John Schol condemned the violence and offered prayers and support for those affected.  

“As bishops of The United Methodist Church, we are outraged that such an atrocity would occur among Christians, especially brothers and sisters who were once part of the same Methodist family.”

In the statement, they called upon leaders of the Global Methodist Church, particularly the three bishops who lead Nigeria, to act justly and bring those who perpetrated the crimes to justice.

“We further urge GMC members, at all levels, to put an immediate end to the violence and refrain from disseminating misinformation that fuels fear and disdain that can lead to violence. Likewise, we call our United Methodist members to be guided by integrity and respectful while working towards maintaining peace.”

They urged United Methodists to remain peaceful in the midst of conflict and to call the police immediately; they urged the Global Methodist Church members to do the same.

Schol told UM News that he believes the Global Methodist Church leaders are concerned about their future as The United Methodist Church in Nigeria continues to make steady progress. He noted that the majority of United Methodist laity and clergy stayed with the denomination.

“When Yohanna, his cabinet and approximately 30% of the United Methodists in Nigeria communicated that they resigned from the UMC and joined the GMC in late July and early August 2024, and took the United Methodist property, equipment and funds, they had a significant hurdle to overcome. Nigeria law has ruled in the past that the property stays with the denomination and does not go with the breakaway group,” Schol said.

“To counter this, the GMC created the ruse that rather than them leaving the UMC, this was a simple name change from UMC to GMC because the UMC was a ‘gay’ church and trying to bring same-gender marriage to Nigeria. This prejudiced many government officials against the UMC because Nigeria’s constitution forbids same-gender marriage.

“Initially the government understood the matter this way and treated the UMC faithful as a disenfranchised group of people who were not the rightful owners of the property,” Schol said.

He explained that a series of events is changing the minds of many, including some people who left The United Methodist Church and are now returning.

“A group of 400,000 United Methodists who left during Bishop Yohanna’s tenure have now returned, strengthening the United Methodist witness and mission,” Schol said.

“District superintendents and pastors have been meeting with local and state governments and law enforcement agents to help them understand the UMC and our polity, and this is changing the minds of government officials,” he said.

The United Methodist Church filed a lawsuit against the Global Methodist Church to reverse the government certificate (license to operate as a denomination in Nigeria) from GMC to UMC.

The West Africa Central Conference 10th session, held Dec. 5-8 in Accra, Ghana, voted to amend the Book of Discipline to clearly state that in West Africa, the episcopal areas and conferences are to follow the laws of their nation concerning LGBTQ issues and that marriage is between two consenting adults who are a man and a woman.

Emmanuel was elected bishop Dec. 7, and more than 500 people turned out to greet the new bishop when he returned from the central conference.

That brought more concern from the Global Methodist Church, Schol said.

“With each successive step, the GMC has become more concerned that they will lose the ‘battle’ to maintain their standing in Nigeria and the property and funds of The United Methodist Church. They were particularly concerned about the results of the West Africa Central Conference, and the overwhelming positive reception of Bishop Emmanuel as well as the unification of United Methodists in Nigeria.”

On Nov. 22, Schol emailed Global Methodist Church Bishops Scott Jones, John Pena Auta and John Wesley Yohanna, the three bishops overseeing Nigeria for the denomination, and expressed his growing concern about harassment, violence and destruction of property. He also shared with United Methodists these same concerns and called on them to remain peaceful.

“I called on Bishops Jones, Auta and Yohanna to do the same by talking with GMC clergy and laity to stop the harassment and physical attacks on United Methodists and to stop damaging property. I was deeply concerned about the escalation of the harassment and physical attacks. I received no response from them, and the harassment and physical attacks only escalated to culminate in the killing of three United Methodists and injuring of another 10 on Dec. 15.”

Leaders of the Global Methodist Church did not immediately respond to a United Methodist News request for comment. 

The United Methodist Council of Bishops called for peace in Nigeria following the tragedy.

“The Council of Bishops offers its condolences to the families whose loved ones died and to the members of the congregation where the incident took place. We condemn the violence and plead with all United Methodists to bear witness to the prince of peace, Jesus Christ, in word and deed. We know that violence never resolves conflict or meaningfully addresses injustice,” Council of Bishops President Tracy S. Malone said in a statement. “The Council of Bishops is grateful for the leadership in Nigeria who responded quickly to maintain order, care for the grieving, and are working toward the mission of The United Methodist Church. As we near the manger of Bethlehem once again, may we hear as never before the choir of angels declaring: ‘Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among people with whom God is pleased,’” she said.

The United Methodist Church in Nigeria’s dean of cabinet, the Rev. Eli S. Yakku, said the affected community needs prayers and counseling.

“We are working to promote calm and restraint … while also advocating for justice and accountability.  This incident is a sobering reminder of the challenges we face as a church and a community in Nigeria.”

Yakku said at least 11 houses of United Methodist church members were set ablaze, displacing many families and resulting in hundreds of people, mainly women and children, fleeing to neighboring communities for safety. Munga Dosso is the native home of Yohanna.

In a statement issued by the Global Methodist Church’s communications office in Nigeria, Auta called on the community of Munga Dosso to drop its bitterness and embrace sustainable peace in the best interest of brotherhood and development.

“The bishop acknowledged that the crisis was ignited by an unknown person whose major target was to cause unrest amongst the peace-loving people of the area, emphasizing that what peace cannot offer, chaos cannot give,” the statement said.

Eveline Chikwanah is a UM News correspondent based in Harare, Zimbabwe.