The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, the umbrella body of Christians in Nigeria has intensified pressure on the federal government to put in place measures that would put an end to the security challenge ravaging the country. CAN through its National President, Rev Dr. Samson Ayokunle is particularly worried over what he described as the continuous unwarranted attacks on innocent Christians across the country by people suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect. Reacting to the recent murder of Rev. Lawan Andimi, the Chairman of CAN in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State by the sect members, Dr Ayokunle bemoaned the failure of government at all levels to live up to their constitutional responsibilities of safeguarding the lives the properties of Nigerians. He said the Church views the unabated kidnappings, extortions and killings of Christians and innocent Nigerians as shameful to the government that each time boasts that it has conquered insurgency. “It is reprehensible and saddening that each time the government comes out to claim the defeat of the insurgency, more killings of our people are committed. In the light of the current developments and the circumstantial facts surrounding the prevailing upsurge of attacks against the church, it will be difficult for us to believe that the Federal Government under President Mohammadu Buhari is not colluding with the insurgents to exterminate Christians in Nigeria bearing in mind the very questionable leadership of the security sector that has been skewed towards a religion and region! Is that lopsidedness not a cover up for the operation of the insurgency? If not, why couldn’t the well equipped security agents of Nigeria get this man killed rescued?” While this was yet to subside, another clergyman, Rev Denis Baganri was murdered by unknown gunmen in his residence at Moyo Belwa, also in Adamawa State. As at the time of going to press, the perpetrators were still at large. Another incident that had further saddened the Christian community in the country was the abduction, two weeks ago, of four young Catholic Seminarians in Kaduna Archdiocese by suspected gun men. Despite the furore that the incident had elicited and the assurance by the police that the seminarians would all be released in good time, only one of them has been left off the hook, obviously on health grounds. The young man who is currently receiving treatment in a hospital, was dropped off at the Kaduna-Abuja highways. The whereabouts of the other three is still shrouded in mystery. Reacting to the incessant abduction of Christians in the country, Evangelist Kwamkur Samuel Vondip, the National
Director, Legal and Public Affairs of
CAN issued a strong statement calling
on the federal government to respond
swiftly to the challenges of insecurity,
saying failure to do so may not augur
well for our democracy.
“As long as the government continues
to live in denial and fail to face the reality,
these criminals will not stop their crim-
inalities. We are almost losing hope in
government’s ability to protect Nigerians
especially Christians who have become
endangered species under its watch. We
once again call on the International com-
munity and developed world like the US,
the UK, Germany, Israel and others to
please come to the aid of Nigeria, espe-
cially, the Nigerian Church so that we
might not be eliminated one by one.”
While calling on Christians to be calm,
Evangelist Vondip challenged the Fed-
eral Government to be more proactive
about effort to get rid of the continuous
siege on Nigeria and end the wanton kill-
ings and destructions of lives and prop-
erty of Nigerians if the government is to
be taken seriously.
The atrocious activities of religious fun-
damentalists have taken on an even more
dangerous dimension in recent history. It
seems those behind the incidences intent
to polarise the country along religious
line. Last Christmas, a video went viral
in which eleven Christians were killed
by ISWAP members. Only very recently,
another video showcased on the social
media in which a child executed a man
believed to be a Christian in Borno and
threatening to do more.
Such callous killings of Christians,
some religious leaders have observed,
are capable of fuelling ember of religious
discord if something is not done ear-
nestly to stem the tide and subdue the
terrorists.
They also want government to be more
decisive and strategic in protecting the
lives of not only Christians, but indeed
all Nigerians.
It is on this premise that the South West
Governors recently launched the South
West security apparatus code named
Amotekun as a means of countering in-
security across the region.
However, information reaching us has
it that while the pan-Igbo socio-cultur-
al organization, Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo is
already considering setting up its own
version of Amotekun to be called Og-
bunigwe, some northern groups are not
too pleased with the development. They
see the whole project as an attempt to
jeopardise the unity of the country. They
therefore insists that it be jettisoned.
Same view was recently shared by the
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
of the federation, Abubakar Malami who
said it has no constitutional backing.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General of
the Federation, Abubakar Malami has
claimed that he was quoted out of con-
text on the issue of Amotekun.
“I said the Operation Amotekun
should be properly back by law, so if at
the end of this Government, if the Oper-
ation has been backed by law, any Gov-
ernment that eventually succeeded this
government will not rubbish the Oper-
ation”.
“I said if they failed to enact a law in
support of Amotekun in the South West
Region of Nigeria, another government
can come and say it’s Illegal and this is
because it is not back by any law”.
“So, It just an advised to the State Gov-
ernor’s to use their power and the State’s
House of Assemblies in their various
States to enact a law that will make the
Operation more effective.” He said.
Also, the South West Governors and
the AGM have commenced the process
of perfecting the template setting up the
security outfit by given it the desired le-
gal backing
