The Chairman of the Christian Association CAN )in the Northern Nigeria, Rev John Joseph Hayab, has clarified that the alleged bomb scare at the Living Faith Church, Kaduna, in 2020 was caused by fireworks, not an explosive device.
Hayab spoke during the burial of the deceased suspect, Nathaniel Samuel, in Kaduna, where pastors and members of the Living Faith Church were also in attendance.
He said Samuel unknowingly triggered panic after bringing fireworks to the church, having forgotten them at a wedding he attended the previous day.
According to him, Samuel had returned on Sunday morning to retrieve the items and later took them along to church.
Hayab explained that the confusion began when Samuel stepped out to urinate and left the fireworks behind, leading to an alarm and a police intervention.
He said officers conducted a thorough search and transferred the boy to Abuja because the matter had gained national attention.
The CAN chairman said nothing incriminating was found, insisting that “there was never a bomb in Living Faith Church, Kaduna.”
He added that the young man later battled drug issues and was taken for rehabilitation, before being assisted to continue his work as a mechanic.
Hayab said he took responsibility for Samuel’s burial because he understood the boy’s struggles and journey until his death.
A church member, Paul Endmadu, also confirmed that Samuel had worked in the church before the incident.
Representatives of pastors from the Living Faith Church attended the funeral, acknowledging the deceased as a member of the congregation.
