By Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
Christians in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, have called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the respective state governors to stop paying lip service to their security.
Consequently, they have called on the federal and state governments in the North to put adequate measures in place to protect them and their places of worship and bring to an end incessant attacks and killings of Christians in the region.
The Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the, FCT, Rev. Yakubu Pam, who made the call, against the backdrop of recent killings of two Christians in Kano and Niger States, said it was unacceptable that some groups of persons operating under the guise of defending their religion could hack to death a woman, Mrs. Bridget Agabahime, in Kano and another Christian male, Chimaije Emmanuel, to death in similar fashion under the guise of blaspheming against Prophet Mohammed. Rev Pam in a press statement issued at the weekend in Jos, charged northern governors to face up to their responsibilities as chief security officers of their states and provide adequate security to the lives and properties of Christians in their states. He noted that Nigerians had equal rights to live in any state of the federation to carry out their lawful businesses without anyone causing harm to them. He said: “The recent ugly incidents in Kano and Niger states are regrettable and uncivilized and should not be tolerated by people of good will in this country.
‘’The perpetrators of these evil acts must be fished out with their gangs and made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrence to others who might be nursing such ambition to carry out dastardly act in the nearest future.”
Pam also cautioned northern governors not to rush into committing parts of land in their states for grazing reserves or grazing route for cattle herders without going into consultation with the people of their respective states who own the land. He warned that unless the interests of the people they govern are taken into consideration before embarking on any policy, it might be counter-productive at the end of the day.
“This period in the history of this nation calls for prayers and understanding among the diverse people of this country for peace to reign in all parts of the country,” he stressed.
