Update On Boko Haram's Invasion Of Catholic Church In Abuja

File photo.

Exclusive information reaching us is that agents of Boko Haram stormed a Catholic Church in Abuja, the popular St Mary Catholic Church in the Karu area of the FCT on Sunday with a view to burn the church building, following problems with soldiers guarding the church.

A source inside the church who spoke to our reporter on the phone around 14:00, say members of the church remained locked down in the church premises for about three (3) hours as security personnel battle with agents of Boko Haram at the entrance gate.

The source, a lady, say the fierce looking men are:
Wielding daggers and other dangerous weapons and that they created bonfires on the major road and at the entrance gate to the church. As at the time she spoke with us, she said it is a situation of "no going in, no coming out."

We contacted a top security personnel in Abuja who confirmed the unfortunate development. He however added that Army personnel who were guarding other churches in the axis have been instructed to move to St Mary's Catholic church immediately.

Latest information coming from St Mary's Catholic Church in Karu, Abuja:

Trouble started when the soldiers asked an Okada man in the area to do frog jump for an offence. The man was said to have died after the punishment. The incident snowballed into a protest by Hausa Okada men that were later infiltrated by Boko Haram elements. 

  We gathered that the soldiers that were deployed to the area to support those on ground have succeeded in making way for the church members held captive inside the premises to go home.

A source say tension is still in the atmosphere as at 15:15 hours on Sunday.