BOKO HARAM: CAN tackles Buhari’s Muslim casualty ratio, says president living in denial

The Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend John Hayab has disagreed with President Muhammadu Buhari’s assertion that 90 percent of those killed by Boko Haram insurgents are Muslims.

The Christian leader, lamented that “Instead of accepting the reality of our problems, our leaders prefer to live in denials”.

President Buhari, in an opinion piece published in Christianity Today, had said it was not true that Christians are at the receiving end in the insurgency ravaging the Northeastern part of the country, insisting that mosques have been bombed and guns shot inside, prominent Imams killed as well as Muslims.

According to the President, the Boko Haram insurgency is not about religion.

Reverend Hayab, in his reaction during an interview with Vanguard, however described the president’s claims as dishonest and not a true reflection of the situation of things.

Noting that CAN, the umbrella body of Christians in the country was not surprised by the President’s claim, Hayab said if President Buhari truly made the claim, it would not be surprising going by the things his spokesman, Femi Adesina said after the killing of Rev Lawan Andimi.

Read also: How indiscipline wrecked PDP – Oyinlola

“We believe Adesina wrote the column on behalf of his principal to affirm the things he has said, himself, about the attack on Christians by Boko Haram terrorists.

“But there is a difference between what they say in the media and the actual happenings on the ground. In Nigeria, it will be dishonesty for anyone to claim that 90 percent of Boko Haram victims have to be Muslims. We believe it is not true. However, this is part of the denials that have caused problems in this country.

“Instead of accepting the reality of our problems, our leaders prefer to live in denials. No serious-minded person will believe the President is being honest in his claims.

“We make bold to say the Federal Government has not commissioned any multi-stakeholder survey to ascertain the facts and figures. Let the President show the full facts backing his claims. A leader who is supposed to unite the people need not exhibit certain sentiments such as have been conveyed by President Buhari in his claim”, Hayab said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now