Inside Nigeria
‘Enough Of Killing Of Christians’ — Churches Tell Buhari As CAN Declares National Day Of Protest
Churches across the country are taking to the streets to protest the increasing incidents of killings as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) declares a national day of protest.
The churches are making demands on the Muhammadu Buhari administration to stop the incessant killings by herdsmen and persecution of Christians across the country.
As led by Olasupo Ayokunle, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the churches are also asking for the release of the Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu, a young girl kidnapped by Boko Haram from her school in Dapchi.
It was earlier reported after the return of the Dapchi girls, that Boko Haram had failed to return the young girl because she refused to renounce her Christian faith.
In a statement issued by the CAN President, the body made the following demand:
Shedding of Innocent blood should stop
Leah Sharibu should be released
Enough of unlawful killings
Federal Government should stop herdsmen killings
Immediate Release of other Chibok girls
President Buhari should protect our lives and properties and not cows
John Akin Oyelade, pastor in charge of one of the churches involved in the demonstration, Fountain of Peace Baptist Church, Oyo, said Christians have given the government enough time to act.
“Having exercised the very patience expected of a true believer by praying and looking forward to what any responsive government would do in this unpalatable situation against fellow mankind, it could be observed that we have given enough time for administrative exigencies and should our quietness be taken for a ride, then more than what Christians are known for may begin to unfold hence, this peaceful protest,” he said.
“Nigeria is a secular state, and as such it should be treated as one, we condemn outrightly the lackadaisical, irresponsible and irresponsive attitude of this administration towards this menace.
“I must be true to you, to myself and to my God that the current administration of today does not possess any form of what the true heroes of past of this nation handed down, it also denies the spirit and the power of fair leadership and respect for human lives.
“The desire and passion to drive a purposeful leadership has over the years been passive and almost absolutely coyly demonstrated by this current administration.”
Oyelade added that “the political ground among us has been directly affiliated to a particular section of the country as seen in the various lopsided appointments in various government parastatals; thus, defying the interest of the remaining region and the Christians as declared in their various sworn oath”.
“To this end, there is a need for obeying the instructions and directives by the CAN leadership to stage this peaceful protest. In the face of the deplorable state of governance in Nigeria today, it has become imperative that we raise our voice against this barbaric and nepotic acts in a godly, peaceful yet in a highly demanding manner.
“We have discovered that it is no more an accident neither is it a coincidence but a Programme and an Agenda which may be presumed to have sponsors.
“It is essential to establish that the situation is becoming worrisome day by day. It is also worthy of note that up until this moment, no significant position has been taken by this government, despite the frantic efforts made by the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, through her President. Unfortunately, all efforts to discuss with the government has yielded no result.
The protests are ongoing in major churches across the country.
testimony david
April 30, 2018 at 8:59 pm
the world should see the atrocities of president buhari and what the people are protesting off, what a devil in human nature president of the boko haram and herdsmen terrorist, shame shame shame to you for killings of the people you are ruling
Anonymous
April 30, 2018 at 7:29 am
CAN should expand the protest across west Africa, while BBC/CNN /DW/Al Jazeera and France 24 will be there covering the protest
Anonymous
April 29, 2018 at 11:40 pm
ATTACK ON CHIEF NWODO’S FAMILY HOME; BEYOND THE SURFACE.
By Charles Ogbu.
Today’s attack on the country’s home of Ohaneze Ndigbo President General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, should UNITE rather than DIVIDE Success and all those who genuinely detest injustice.
This is a time every true Igbo son and daughter must close rank and join hands together to confront this new wave of evil being imported into our land in a desperate bid to justify the terrorist tag on our unarmed non-violent youth by an evil govt headed by a man who does not mean us well.
As Additionally, we owe it to our ancestors to be very vigilant and understand that this country called Nigeria is inherently evil and demonic. There is no limit to how far this present govt will go in their desperate bid to justify tagging our harmless youth terrorists while their own internationally recognized terrorist groupS yet kill with govt-sponsored impunity.
A govt that could stage the kidnapping of innocent school girls and equally stage their release is capable of staging a bomb attack just to advance their evil aim of proving that our youth are terrorists.
We must be under no illusion that the Police will blame this dastardly act on any person or group other than our Youths. This is a carefully planned job purposely targeted at justifying the numberless crimes this murderous govt has committed against our youth whose only crime was asking to be treated fairly or be allowed to go form their separate Biafra Nation.
I urge every discerning mind to critically look at the attack, the timing, the possible motive as well as those who stand to benefit more from an attack on Chief Nwodo.
And why did the attack happen on the eve of President Buhari’s visit to the US President, Donald Trump ?? Why not any other time?
We know who stand to benefit more from an attack on the Ohaneze PG’s home. Young teenagers stand to lose everything and gain nothing. They know that such an act will paint them as a violent group and destroy the goodwill they currently enjoy among the generality of Ndigbo and all lovers of freedom worldwide. On the other hand, this govt stands to gain everything. Let’s look at the benefits:
1.it will give them the ever elusive justification for tagging our unarmed nonviolent youth as terrorist while their own privileged terror groups recognized worldwide yet kill and maim with impunity.
2.It will give President Buhari a good reason to send back his uniformed janjaweed army back to Ala-igbo.
3.It will break the Igbo spirit and turn elders elders against their own children who will now see as a bunch of violent youth who should be sacrificed to the Fulani Army.
Most importantly, it will help this genocide govt divert attention away from the full jihad currently happening in Benue and other parts of the MiddleBelt.
The gods are wise but we humans are even wiser
We know which group / Agency has the capacity as well as the capability to make and deliver bomb without hindrances. It’s not Igbo youth.
Our youth are generally known to be non-violent. Their only “weapon” is their mouth. Their method is civil disobedience. No act of organized violence has ever been traced to them. Their disagreement with the Ohaneze PG is an open secret but who says kids can not openly disagree with their parents?
The attempt by the forces of darkness to exploit this disagreement to turn Ndigbo against themselves MUST BE RESISTED.
In Igbo land, we have our problem as a people. Every tribe does. But there are some red lines we do not cross in the course of our disagreement. That line is bombing property.
I am not unaware of the fact that in a couple of days from now, the Police will follow their written script by declaring our Self Determination group responsible for this attack. They will even parade some suspects who may confess to how our youth planned and executed the attack. We are so conversant with the antics of this govt. They are so predictable. But they should be aware that no matter how well they package that bad market, we will never buy it.
Chief Nwodo has repeatedly stated that the Self Determination groups are his children. I have utmost faith in his ability not to allow our detractors to use this heinous crime to further demonize his children.
Like the Phoenix, Ndigbo will always rise from the ashes. This, too, will pass.
Anonymous
April 29, 2018 at 11:33 pm
Buhari dictatorship terrorist government and his Fulani headsmen terrorist group will not stop slaughtering innocent unarmed Christian unless Christian fight back if not Fulani terrorist group will continued slaughtering innocent unarmed Christian on daily bases
Anonymous
April 29, 2018 at 7:13 pm
Only protest? They should defend their self, for me as a Christian I will kill u be4 u kill me. U submit ur self be KILLED u die and go to HELL.