Violent clashes erupt among UMC, Global Methodists at Nigerian seminary
Violent clashes broke out between members of The United Methodist Church and the Global Methodist Church at a seminary in Nigeria as the two denominations continue to fight over who controls a large assortment of properties and assets in the West African nation.
Bishop Ande Emmanuel, who serves as resident bishop of the Nigeria Episcopal Area, lamented the ongoing feud in a statement on Facebook Tuesday where he provided details about two incidents that occurred earlier this month. The first occurred in the Keru village of Balaifi on Feb. 6, when, according to the bishop, a local UMC church was burned down by members of the GMC.
Another incident occurred at Banyam Theological Seminary on Feb. 17, in which the bishop accused GMC members of attempting to take over the campus where they vandalized UMC logos and signposts.
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“Previously, the Chief of the area and the police had stated that the GMC should stay away from UMC property. Clearly this did not occur,” stated Emmanuel. “United Methodists did go to the property and demand that the GMC leave immediately.”
“An altercation occurred. The UM District Superintendent for the area and others confirm these events. There are two different stories of what happened, so it is now a matter for the police, who have our full cooperation.”
Emmanuel declared, “I strongly condemn any act of violence or disrespect from either party” and said the “acts of aggression are an affront to our faith and an apparent attempt to erase the identity and heritage of The United Methodist Church (UMC) of Nigeria.”
“We believe these latest incidents at Keru and BTS are directly connected to tensions in the region stemming from the GMC’s unlawful occupation of The United Methodist Church Secretariat in Jalingo and other UMC properties across Nigeria,” he alleged.
“These coordinated attacks are seen as part of the Global Methodist Church’s ongoing campaign of intimidation, violence, and forceful takeover of UMC properties.”
Emmanuel called on GMC Bishops John Pena Auta and Scott Jones to make a more concerted effort to maintain peace between the two Methodist denominations as litigation over the properties continues.
The Christian Post reached out to the GMC for a response, which was not provided by press time.
Last week, Jones posted a statement on his Facebook profile, claiming that the gathering at the seminary was a planned meeting of the GMC Central Nigeria Annual Conference and that it was UMC members who “disrupted the opening worship.”
“Because we wished to preserve peace we moved the Conference to a different location. However the UMC supporters returned to Banyam expecting Bishops Jones and Auta to be there with the Conference,” read the statement.
“Some carried guns and others carried machetes. They invaded the seminary grounds, broke windows and attacked GMC people. The GMC people offered no resistance. One man was hospitalized with a head wound. A presiding elder was cut on his chest and hospitalized.”
According to the statement, five others were sent to the hospital due to wounds received in the attacks. Further, Auta’s wife and a friend of hers “were locked in a room for several hours” due to the attacks, which concluded when “a unit of the Nigerian Army intervened at Bishop Auta’s request and dispersed the attackers.”
The UMC General Conference voted last year to remove church rules banning the blessing of same-sex unions, the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals and the funding of LGBT advocacy groups.
Not only are same-sex marriage and the sexual act of homosexuality against the law in Nigeria, but the government also prohibits people from being active in LGBT advocacy organizations.
In July of last year, Nigerian UMC Bishop John Wesley Yohanna sent a statement to officials explaining that the regional body voted to join the GMC at a special session called that month.
However, the UMC has disputed Yohanna’s claims, arguing that only a fraction of the 560,000-member Episcopal Area has agreed to disaffiliate from the mainline denomination.
Last December, reports surface of violence between GMC and UMC members in Munga Dosa, which resulted in three United Methodists being killed and multiple houses being burned.
In a statement emailed to CP at the time, the GMC Assembly of Bishops said they were “deeply grieved by the loss of life and the devastation that has occurred."
"We unequivocally decry the use of violence in any form and call on all people, Global Methodists and United Methodists alike, to act as agents of peace," declared the bishops.
