BY JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
The family of the late Nathaniel Samuel, the young man once accused of attempting to bomb the Living Faith Church, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna has debunked long-held misconceptions surrounding the 2020 incident, insisting that the item found on him was fireworks and not an explosive device as widely reported.
Nathaniel was laid to rest in Kaduna on Wednesday, bringing renewed attention to a case that once stirred tension across the state.
Speaking at the burial, the Chairman of the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Joseph John Hayab, said the misinformation that circulated at the time had unjustly damaged Nathaniel’s reputation, despite the fact that security investigations later cleared him of any wrongdoing.
According to him, the Force Headquarters in Abuja released Nathaniel to his parents months after the incident, following what he described as “exhaustive and thorough investigations.”
Rev. Hayab noted that anyone still harbouring doubts is free to verify the findings from either the Kaduna State Police Command or the Force Headquarters.
He said the burial provided an important moment to set the record straight after years of public confusion, adding that the initial misinterpretation of Nathaniel’s identity and the suspicion that followed had created unnecessary tension in Kaduna.
Hayab explained that police investigations eventually confirmed that Nathaniel was not linked to terrorism and that the item he carried was merely fireworks often used as a source of livelihood, especially during wedding ceremonies.
Representatives of Living Faith Church, Mahuta, attended the burial, while members of Living Faith Church, Gonin Gora, where Nathaniel served in the technical department were also present to pay their respects.
Rev. Hayab cautioned Nigerians against jumping to conclusions in security-related matters and stressed the need for responsible and balanced reporting. He warned that hasty judgments and poorly verified information could destroy lives and erode communal trust.
He urged the public to reflect on Nathaniel’s experience as a lesson on the dangers of misinformation and wrongful profiling.
