By SUZAN EDEH

Bauchi—Bauchi State chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has explained that the quarrel between two factions of Church of Christ in Nigeria, COCIN, led to the attack on the church by one of the factions to burn it last Sunday.

CAN Chairman in the state, Reverend Lawi Pokti, at a briefing yesterday, said the cause of the disagreement was over the relocation of its local church council headquarters which was burnt during the post-election violence in Tilden Fulani Miya Bakate in Toro Local Government Area of the state.

Pokti said: “The true position is that some members were aggrieved over the relocation of the church. A series of meetings were held between February 5  and 25,  this year to resolve the issue so that the headquarters would be taken back to its former place in Tilde Fulani.

’’On February 26, 2012 about seven members from the congregation at Tilden Fulani came to find out the outcome of the previous meetings, for which they were being briefed by the Pastor in charge, Rev Adamu Azi.

’’However, one of the members, (names withheld) went and sat outside, and an alleged device was reportedly seen near him. The worshippers who were coming into the church saw it and shouted bomb, bomb. This attracted the attention of other worshippers, the public and the security agencies

“We wish to state that contrary to a report in one the national newspapers,  no weapon was found in the possession of any of the arrested members except the suspected devise. We are worried that the Commissioner of Police, Ikechukwu Aduba, addressed the media and gave out information before any investigation was carried out.

’’We also wish to state that though the incident happened on the same date with the bombing of COCIN headquarters in Jos, they are two different incidents as Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the bombing of COCIN headquarters in Jos,” he added.

The CAN Chairman then called for a thorough investigation over the matter, so as to unveil those connected with the said suspected devise before any other statement is made.