Following the current security crisis in the country, the Christain Association of Nigeria, CAN, has advised the Federal Government to stop trading blames and giving excuses.
The Christain body also called on the Federal Government to act now.
CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media & Communications, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, said rising lawlessness, banditry and terrorism, especially in the North needed to be addressed.
He said, “We are pained to observe that killings and kidnapping of people are no longer news in the country and no one is immune from it. Why should we be watching for a nation well situated by God to become a land that is swallowing its inhabitants?
“While we, at CAN, reassure all Nigerians that we will not give up praying for this nation and giving pieces of advice to the government, we urge the government that ought to be more decisive in taking far-reaching security steps to rise up and do it.”
According to him, a new approach supported by efforts to bring the criminals and mass murderers to their knees rather than finding excuses to justify failure of governance are necessary to reduce the insecurity in the land.
“CAN calls on the security agencies to wake up from their prolonged slumber and save their image.
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“The government is urged to think out of the box and take adequate steps to bring the terrorists to their knees rather than finding excuses to justify the failure of governance. Mass burials without a full-scale war is unprecedented and unacceptable.
“Continuous sympathy through press statements or condolence visit after many souls have been wasted is not acceptable anymore.
“What we need is adequate protection of lives and property by those we have put in charge to do so.”
Reacting to last week’s gruesome murder of 43 rice farmers by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, the apex Christian body stated that the security agencies failed to prevent it.
“We condemn the killing of 43 rice farmers in Borno state by unknown persons suspected to be terrorists and call on the security agencies to stop the unending mass killings by the criminals who now operate with impunity all over the country more devastating in the Northeast and Northwest regions.
“We are shocked, disturbed, saddened to learn that criminals suspected to be terrorists (but for which a terrorist group had claimed responsibilities) invaded a community and murdered the innocent farmers while harvesting their products.
“As usual, the number of the deceased gruesomely murdered remains disputed by the Federal Government.
“To us at CAN, 43 was not only frightening but inexcusable by those who should have prevented it. The massacre was wicked and completely satanic.
“A situation where farmers are being taxed by the terrorists and bandits before they are allowed to work on their farms is unprecedented and it must be stopped by the government before it is too late.
“We are in a recession in the country, yet, criminals are still preventing farmers from going to farm to harvest. We are not aware of any country where similar lawlessness is taking place without being adequately checked.
“May the Lord comfort the relatives of those who were killed and save our nation from total collapse in Jesus’ name.”
