CAN says Nigerian church under siege, laments DSS quiz of Christian elders

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has described the church in Nigeria as being under siege as it bemoaned the interrogation of four members of its Trust Fund by the Department of State Services (DSS) operatives.

CAN statement came following reports that the DSS on Tuesday quizzed four Board of Trustees (BoT) members of CAN Trust fund, who are also leaders of the National Christian Elders Forum, at the agency headquarters in Abuja.

The elders were said to have been questioned by the DSS sequel to a video record in which they were seen asking for funds to rebuild churches destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.

Among those already questioned by the DSS were a former Chief of General Staff, during the ibrahim Babangida administration, Lt. Gen. Joshua Dogonyaro (retd.), representing TEKAN/ECWA bloc of CAN; a retired high court judge, Justice Kalajine Anigbogu, representing Christian Council of Nigeria bloc; Mrs. Osaretin Demuren, representing Organisation of African Instituted Churches and a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Lemo, representing the Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.

The DSS, it was leant has also scheduled for interrogation a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dame Priscilla Kuye (SAN), representing the Catholic bloc, the President of NCEF, Solomon Asemota (SAN); its General Secretary, Bosun Emmanuel.

Others also to be interrogation include the President of CAN, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, and its General Secretary, Dr. Musa Asake, among many others who have been scheduled to be invited for questioning by the DSS in the coming weeks.

However, in its reaction Thursday in Abuja, CAN Director of Legal and Public Affairs, Kwamkur Samuel, described the recent attacks as a confirmation of speculations that there were secretive moves to intimidate the church.

“It is very obvious that the Church in Nigeria is under siege. Nigerian Christians have been facing serious battles on three fronts: Boko Haram is dealing with the Church, Fulani herdsmen are against the Church and government is also on the Church. All these point to the fact that there is an underground plan to Islamise Nigeria.

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“For instance, there was a foreign news from the UK which alleged that military helicopters were seen dropping arms for Fulani herdsmen and no government establishment has given any explanation that it is not true.

“If the government or its relevant security agencies have not disproved that but they are harassing men of God and pastors who are raising funds to rebuild the Church, while government has failed to provide relief materials, then there is a problem,” he said.

The DSS interrogation of the church leaders came just eight days after it questioned the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman, over his preaching that if Muslim Fulani herdsmen who have been killing Christians come near his church, they should be killed.

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