ECWA Expresses Worry over Spate of Killings, Kidnappings across Nigeria

  • Decries security agents’ helplessness

By Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) has expressed worries over the continuous spate of killings and kidnappings across the country, declaring three-day fasting and prayers for the peace of Nigeria.

The President of ECWA, Rev Jeremiah Gado, made this known in a communiqué issued at the end of the 65th General Church Council (GCC) meeting held in Jos the Plateau State capital.

He said: “The council notes with dismay the continuous spate of kidnappings in the country and the apparent helplessness of the Nigerian security agencies to rescue the victims resulting in huge sums of money being paid as Ransom to the kidnappers, which has further exacerbated the poor financial conditions of the victims and their family members.

“ECWA therefore calls on the federal government and all security outfits to make urgent and definite steps to tackle these heinous crime; this is the responsibility of the federal government to its citizens as guaranteed under the 1999 constitution. We therefore call upon the federal government to take responsibility of paying the ransom or reimburse families for ransom paid for the release of kidnapped victims for failing to protect the citizens .

“We are also alarmed at the wave of political assassinations, killing for ritual purposes and the frequent mass murder of harmless, innocent and defenseless citizens very often our children; the very symbol of life and vigour are the victims and agents of this wastage of human life in recognition of its divine mandate. We also remind all of the sacredness and inviolability of human life and urge everyone to respect the sanctity of human life and end the flow of innocent blood in the land.

“We are advocating also for a stronger collaboration between the government, security agencies and the entire population for a more efficient protection of human lives and property.

“The council views with serious concern the unabated violence herdsmen across the country especially in the Middle Belt states of Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Niger, Kogi, and other states including Kaduna, Adamawa, Enugu, Zamfara, and Delta as they continue to wantonly destroy lives, farms and  property of innocent members of host communities. ECWA therefore calls on the federal government to apprehend the perpetrators and cause them to face the wrath of the law, and to compensate the victims in the interest of justice, as failure to do so would jeopardise the federal government efforts in boosting food production and security in Nigeria.”

He added that “ECWA rejects the popular narrative that the violence being perpetrated by the herdsmen is an herdsmen/farmers clash, but sees it rather as an expansionist mission meant to takeover people’s ancestral land, or else, how can one explain the attacks on several innocent non-farming communities by the herdsmen? The council also noted that the call by eminent Nigerians for citizens to rise and defend themselves was as a result of the federal government failure to take up its responsible in protecting the lives and property of Nigerians.”

Gado also said that ECWA has declared a three-day fasting and prayers for the release of Leah Sharibu and for improved security, economic situation in the country from April 27 to April 29 2018.

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