CAN leads protest against Kaduna killings

Blames Buhari, el-Rufai over poor handling of crisis
Christian leaders of different denominations took to the streets of Kaduna State yesterday to protest against the killings in the state, accusing President Muhammadu Buhari and Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai of allowing the situation to escalate.

Clerics and hundreds of Christians in black attires converged at the ECWA Good News Church in Narayi, Kaduna, to pray against the increasing attacks and killings by armed Fulani herders in southern Kaduna communities.

Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna chapter, Rev. Joseph Hayab, who led the protest against increased wave of attacks and killings in the country, particularly southern Kaduna, said: “It is obvious that the government is culpable over the bloody attack and killings, because through its action and inaction, the situation continues to deteriorate.

“You can see that the government has betrayed its constitutional responsibility by both its comments and behaviour over the massacre in southern Kaduna. Both the statement of the presidency and the action of Governor el-Rufai have proved that they have all the while been supporting the Fulani herdsmen, and this informed our gathering today, to pray against the injustices meted out to the people of southern Kaduna.”

According to him, if the Kaduna government can sponsor armed security men to arrest suspects in Lagos and Port Harcourt and bring the persons to Kaduna, why can’t it mobilise armed security operatives to southern Kaduna against those terrorising the communities.

Hayab faulted the Kaduna government over the sudden decision to exhume a white paper on the 1992 Zango Kataf crisis for implementation amid the current crisis in the state.

CAN secretary in the state, Dr. Sunday Ibrahim, said: “What is going on in the southern part of Kaduna is genocide and ethnic cleansing.”

Meanwhile, the President of the Baptist Church Conference, Rev. Ishaya Adamu, urged all Christians to pray day and night against the attacks and killings in Kaduna.