The Gombe State Government has promised its institutional backing to the local Christian community following a catastrophic nocturnal fire that completely razed the primary auditorium of the ECWA Gospel Church, situated off Ashaka Road within the state capital. The incident destroyed valuable electronics, structural roofing, furniture, and critical pastoral offices, leaving the congregation entirely displaced without an immediate venue for weekly fellowship. Leading a senior administrative delegation to the scene, Deputy Governor Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau expressed profound sympathy over the structural loss and called for urgent collaborative aid to restore the sanctuary.
Emphasizing the vital role that spiritual institutions play in driving social cohesion and community development, the Deputy Governor urged political leaders, non-governmental organizations, and public-spirited philanthropists to pull resources together for the rebuilding process. He instructed the administrative leadership of the affected ministry to carry out a comprehensive technical and financial audit of the ruined property to properly guide upcoming state interventions. Additionally, the administration advised regional faith-based groups to enforce stringent maintenance protocols on their structural power grids and ensure all appliances are disconnected when buildings are vacant to mitigate future electrical fire hazards.
Initial on-site assessments conducted by the resident minister, Rev. Dr. Gideon Danbauchi, indicate that the inferno likely originated from an electrical malfunction connected to one of the facility’s power supply configurations. Representatives from the regional Christian Association of Nigeria alongside high-ranking evangelical trustees have classified the disaster as a major setback that exceeds the independent financial capability of the local assembly. Consequently, recovery committees have commenced formal damage documentation to attract institutional relief and rebuild the facility to safe, modern engineering standards.
