Herdsmen killings: CAN seeks spiritual solution, as security agencies seem overwhelmed

In what seems to be the last resort to the perennial killings in the country by yet-to-be identified armed herdsmen and militia group(s) the leadership of the body of all Christian organizations in Nigeria (Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)) has declared July 9-11, 2018 as National Days of Prayers and Fasting. This is even as personnel of various security agencies seem to have been overwhelmed to deal with the situation squarely.

CAN also called on all well-meaning Nigerians; both within and outside the country, to join Christians on 11 July, 2018 for a peaceful nationwide protest.

President of CAN, Rev Dr Samson Olasupo Ayokunle represented by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, in a statement explained that Christian body’s decision was as a result of persistent and intentional killing of innocent Nigerians in general and Christians in particular, mostly in Plateau and Benue where mass burial had become the norm without any positive response from the country’s security agencies.

It read: “CAN is worried, disturbed and disappointed that despite all the clarion calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to re-organise his security team by replacing all the security chiefs, he has consistently turned a deaf ear to such calls. From all indications, the President seems to be satisfied with their poor performance and the attendant problems that have led to avoidable loss of lives and property.

“We call on all Christians in the country and in the Diaspora to participate in the three-day prayers and fasting programme for God to end all the senseless, unwarranted, and selected killings in the country. If the government has failed us, we are very sure that Our God will never fail.

“All National Executive Committee’s members of CAN, the Church and Denominational leaders have been invited to participate in a PEACEFUL PROTEST MARCH to both the National Assembly and the State House to impress on the government to see the need to effectively stop the unprecedented killings.

“CAN has also directed its leadership at the state and local government levels to organise the same peaceful protest march to various Government Houses and Local government headquarters respectively on 11 July.

“We are to tell the government; ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. We appeal to our members to be law-abiding before, during and after the protest.”