Politics
Your silence on persecution of Christians in Nigeria no longer golden, CAN tells Osinbajo
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to intervene in what it says is a clampdown on churches across the country.
The group said it is no longer comfortable with the vice president’s silence, on the matter.
The Christian body stated this in a statement released on Friday and signed by Pastor Bayo Oladeji, Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the CAN President, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle.
CAN lamented that while it was still ruing the killing of Southern Kaduna Christians by Fulani herdsmen, Jigawa State is pulling down churches, and as if that was not enough, Apostle Johnson Suleman of Omega Fire Ministry is being hunted by the Department of State Security (DSS).
Expressing dismay at these and many others, CAN called on Osinbajo to know that he has as a primary duty with his office as the vice president to represent the interests of the Christians in Nigeria.
“We call on the acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to intervene in all the clampdown on the Church in Nigeria, after all, he is in the office primarily to represent the interest of the Christians and his studied silence is no longer golden,” CAN said.
Part of the statement read “While we are yet to recover from the genocide in Southern Kaduna by the murderous Fulani herdsmen and its attendant consequences, the Jigawa State government began the pulling down of our churches with impunity.
“As if that was not enough, some operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) reportedly invaded a hotel in Ekiti on Tuesday where Apostle Johnson Suleiman and his team who were in the state capital for a crusade were lodging.
“Apostle Suleman has become a refugee in Ekiti state as security operatives are said to be searching every nook and cranny of the state with a view to arresting him. If there is an urgent need to interrogate Apostle Suleman on any issue, it would only have been proper to extend a formal or informal invitation to him from the DSS rather than Gestapo approach used in the attempt to arrest him.”
CAN asked, “Or have they extended the proposed obnoxious law that forbids religious preaching without the permission of the state governor down south too?”
Read also: Daredevil thugs whisk away man standing trial in court
It added that “treating ministers of God and our members as common criminals is unacceptable to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Enough is enough!”
The statement further stated, “Despite all the promises made by Governor Nasir el-Rufai, none of those who were responsible for the killings of our members in the Southern Kaduna have been brought to book.
“Instead the Police have been releasing those who were arrested for the killing of our members in Kano and Kubwa (Abuja) while our leaders are being subjected to untold hardship for no just cause. It is high time the overzealous security agencies knew that Nigeria remains a secular state and any attempt to turn the country into a refugee camp for Christians will not be acceptable and will be resisted with every lawful means”.
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seyi jelili
January 28, 2017 at 8:39 am
Osinbajo can’t do anything . It is our pastors that should stop saying statements that can stir up war. I am not saying we should not defend ourselves , but there are better ways of telling the congregation without being aired on live , the way Apostle suleiman and oyedepo aired theirs
yanju omotodun
January 28, 2017 at 3:37 pm
It is shameful that , you as a christian can say this. It is because you are not living in crisis prone parts of Nigeria, we in kaduna knows what we are facing. Our clerygman have spoken well.
Amarachi Okoye
January 28, 2017 at 4:42 pm
Who told you they are giving the congregation go ahead to create crisis .you better say what you know and not to blab norses
Margret Dickson
January 28, 2017 at 9:05 am
Osinbajo being the acting president and a Christian cannot take any strong approach on this issue, else Nigerians will say he’s bias and unfair to Islam. Buhari is the genesis of this problem, if he had condemned the killings before now, there are probaliothat the killings and burning of churches would have stopped
Balarabe musa
January 28, 2017 at 9:54 am
How is buhari the genesis of the problem? Is he the one who incited the herdsmen to attack christians? And what did you want him to say than to condemn the killings as well investigate the cause before finding solution to it, which he did.
Nonso Ezeugo
January 28, 2017 at 4:33 pm
Keep quite if you don’t know what to say buhari is the head of this herdsmen because he never say anything about their killing and you are hear talking about solution buhari never thought of
chichi emerue
January 28, 2017 at 4:28 pm
If we really investigate on this issues about boko haram will find out that buhari hand is there because since he has refuse to say anything about the killing of the Christian’s that means buhari hand is there
Johnson Amadi
January 28, 2017 at 9:09 am
Osinbajo is a moron, what do CAN expect him to do when he has not taken responsibility as the full leader of Nigeria? Osinbajo will have to wait to get orders from Buhari, they should forget about Osinbajo for now pls. The man na mumu, he can’t decide on his own
Roland Uchendu Pele
January 28, 2017 at 10:06 am
He is acting on the capacity of the President, until Buhari returns from his medical vacation. A wise man would use the opportunity availed him the best way he can.
If Osinbajo cannot handle this position well for two weeks, we cannot entrust him with it when comes seeking a re-election for Presidency!
Joy Madu
January 28, 2017 at 4:21 pm
Osinbajo can not do anything without buhari command beside osibanjo is a man of fear and can not be re-election for presidency with such a dullness