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Nigeria collapse not the first - church website

Johannesburg - A building collapse at The Synagogue Church of All Nations (Scoan) in Nigeria, which killed 67 South Africans, was not the first, according to information on the church's website.

- Are you there or do you have friends or family who are affected? Send us your stories..

It describes the building that collapsed on Friday as an "architectural masterpiece".

The church has had three previous locations, and each time something happened to its structure.

"The roof of the first church was blown off by a storm, the second church was washed away by a flood while the third church also collapsed due to severe weather conditions," the church said on www.scoan.org.

"In every situation, God is still saying something. Today, the Scoan is an architectural masterpiece located in the heart of ...Lagos [Nigeria]."

Guesthouse

A multi-storey guesthouse belonging to the church collapsed on Friday, claiming the lives of the 67 South Africans believed to be part of at least five South African tour groups staying at the church of faith healer TB Joshua.

Agencies reported that over 100 people were rescued.

President Jacob Zuma's spokesperson Mac Maharaj was quoted on PowerFM on Tuesday evening saying the numbers should be taken with caution because it was still too early to confirm.

TB Joshua Ministries has been posting Bible verses and other comments on Scoan's website since the accident.

Comment

"This is an official communication from The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations concerning a news story currently being reported by the media regarding an incident that happened today," said the first comment posted on Friday at 22:03.

"The few people that were there are being rescued. What you wish to others, God wishes to you. Nothing makes us love a person as much as praying for him. The more I love you, the more I will pray for you.

"The following day, the ministry posted that the joy of the Lord "is your strength".

"The peace of conscience we derive from our walking with the Lord produces internal joy - the kind of joy that nothing can destroy!"

On Sunday 14 September, it quoted a Bible verse from Matthew.

"Emmanuel! God Is With Us," it said.

Minutes later another comment was posted about a Sunday service.

"Wise Man Daniel has just preached a message titled, 'Do not mind the Devil'. He said, "As a child of God, whatever your situation is, there is a hidden agenda, plan, entity or principality Satan is using to undo you or harm you. Fight the devil 'til the last minute."

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