Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN) friday expressed concerrn about the silence of President Muhammadu
Buhari on the persistent killing of Christians in Southern part of
Kaduna State, describing it as “perceived official endorsement” of the
dastardly act by the President.
The National General Secretary of CAN,
Reverend Musa Asake expressed this concern at a press conference in
Abuja, where he noted that Christians had been subjected to systematic
genocide and persecution since 2009, especially by the Boko Haram sect.
Asake said: “I have been directed by the
President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Dr. Samson
Ayokunle to bring to your attention the on-going ethnic/religious
cleansing of Nigerian Christians in general and those of Southern Kaduna
in particular in the last few weeks.
“The Church in Nigeria since 2009 has
been subjected to a systemic genocide and persecution through the
instrumentality of Islamic fundamentalists Boko Haram, leading to the
killing of thousands of Christians and destruction of hundreds of
churches, and over 50,000 houses. The current unprecedented onslaught
against Christians in Southern Kaduna by the Islamic fundamentalists
disguising as the Fulani herdsmen under the watch of Kaduna State
Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and President Buhari has reached an
alarming stage.
“While we commend President Buhari for
waging war against Boko Haram fundamentalists since his assumption of
office, his silence over the on-going genocide in the last few weeks
speaks volumes over the perceived official endorsement of the dastardly
and ungodly acts.”
Asake said that the recent defense of
the President’s silence that he had received briefing from the governor
of Kaduna State over the matter was unacceptable, “because the
Presidency knows that the people of the affected area had already
protested against the governor’s unacceptable biased handling of the
continuous killings.”
The CAN General Secretary continued:
“Common sense tells anyone that at that instance, the President has to
more directly wade in because lives are involved. The continuous
killings have shown that the Governor of Kaduna State lacks the will
power to arrest the situation and bring it under effective control.
“We know that Southern Kaduna has been
under 24-hour curfew daily, as directed by the governor, yet the enemies
of the people are still prowling going from house to house, killing
defenseless people without government’s protection.”
CAN alleged further that the security
operatives in the area appeared to be turning a blind eye to the
killings, adding that they only rush to trouble spots after the
perpetrators had performed their act of killings and destruction of
houses and farmlands.
The Christian body said it had
previously drawn attention to the imbalance in the appointments made in
the country’s security institutions, “hence we re-emphasise that
leadership/management of security institutions both at the national and
state levels be reviewed to ensure a balance of Muslim and Christian
representation.”
He said such balance, will build trust
and confidence among all citizens of Nigeria in the security empowered
to protect our nation.
CAN urged the state and federal
government to increase their efforts in putting an end to the killings
and also ensure that those behind the killings were brought to book
under the laws of the land and compensate those affected.
Asake stressed: “In view of the present
predicament, the President of CAN has directed that Sunday January 8,
2017, should be declared national day of mourning by Christians,
including those in Diaspora. We are to pray fervently for our Southern
Kaduna brothers and sisters who are victims of these wanton killings and
also for the peace of our dear country Nigeria.
“Therefore, all Christians are to dress
in mourning attire of black clothes or dresses in all our church
services on January 8, 2017. We are to pray that God, who delivered the
Jews from Haman, should deliver Christians from Hamans in Nigeria.”
The Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan
has alleged this week that the unrest in Southern Kaduna State had
claimed over 808 lives, in 53 villages in the area, with 1,422 houses,
16 Churches, 19 shops, and one primary school destroyed.
The latest killing last week took place despite a curfew on three local governments affected by the crisis.
At a press conference Thursday, the
Vicar-General of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan, Ibrahim Yakubu,
said the government had failed to protect locals.
Yakubu added: “Unfortunately, our
government both at the Centre and State levels have failed woefully,” he
said. “If anything, government has shown outright partisanship in
favour of the herdsmen to the disappointment of the majority Southern
Kaduna indigenes and Christians.
“We call on Southern Kaduna indigenes to
remain steadfast in prayer, united, strong and never to cave in to the
antics of our adversaries. Tribe and denominational differences
shouldn’t put a chasm between us,” he said.
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