Gunmen attack church in Yobe, kill pastor, six others

Members of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) – formerly known as Evangelical Church of West Africa were holding a Christmas Eve service when the gunmen entered the village and went straight to the church.
 
They shot the pastor and six members before setting fire to the structure.
 
Agence France Presse quotes Usman Mansir, a resident of the town, as saying, “A group of gunmen came into the village at midnight and went straight to the church.
 
“They opened fire on them, killing the pastor and five worshippers. They then set fire to the church.”
 
A senior police official in Yobe confirmed the details to AFP, but declined to be named.
 
Yobe State Police Commissioner, Sanusi Rufa’I, described the matter as “a security issue” and refused to comment further.
 
The development is a confirmation of security warnings that Boko Haram was planning to attack 10 states during the Yuletide.
 
Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, had directed all commissioners of police to maintain a heightened state of security throughout the Yuletide.
 
Boko Haram has maintained a reign of terror in Yobe and Borno states, targeting churches, mosques, civilians, soldiers, policemen, government officials and traditional rulers