The Global Methodist Church of Nigeria (GMCN) on Friday said a chieftaincy tussle fuelled the recent crisis in Munga Dosso in Karim-Lamido LGA of Taraba state that claimed three lives.
The GMCN Bishop, John Pena Auta, who stated this during a press conference in Jalingo, added that the crisis in Munga Dosso was not a religious one.
The cleric, who spoke through Rev. Simon Jatutu and Rev. Yayuba Baziel Yoila, said there had been a long time lingering chieftaincy dispute in that area, adding that people took the opportunity of the crisis between UMCN and GMCN to express their anger.
“The crisis was purely chieftaincy matters, relying on lies and taking advantage of such to achieve different aims and interests was wrong.
“The issue is not GMCN and UMCN, but it is a traditional dispute which has been pending for a long, we totally debunked that insinuation that the crisis was religious.”
He stressed that the call for the arrest of GMCN leaders by Rev. Micah Dopah, the leader of the United Methodist Church (UMCN) was an empty call.
“Micah Dopah has no right to call for the arrest of GMCN leaders; rather, he should be arrested. We are calling for the arrest of Micah Dopah for joining the Church that allows same sex marriage. If there is anybody that should be arrested, it is Micah Dopah.”
Dopah, the Director, Connectional Ministries, United Methodist Church (UMC) three days ago called on security agencies to arrest GMCN leaders for causing a crisis in Munga Dosso in Karim-Lamido.
Dopah at a press conference urged the federal and the state governments to, as a matter of urgency, arrest the leaders of GMC, Bishop John Pen,a and former Bishop John Wisley.
However, the Taraba state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abdullahi Usman, said the situation came up with serious security threats which resulted in the loss of lives, several injuries and destruction of property.
Usman said “at the moment six people have been arrested in connection with the crisis,” stressing that they had been taken to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation.
