CAN condemns FG’s silence on Southern Kaduna Killings

• Declares January 8 National Mourning Day
• Asks Christians To Observe Low-Key New Year Celebration

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari’s silence over the on-going killings in Southern Kaduna in the last few weeks speaks volume over the perceived official endorsement of the dastardly and ungodly acts.

The association has, therefore, declared January 8, 2017 as National Mourning day where all Christians are expected to dress in mourning attire of black clothes or dresses to Church in solidarity with Christians in Southern Kaduna.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja, National General Secretary of CAN, Dr. Musa Asake, observed that the recent defence of the President’s silence that the President has received briefing from the governor of Kaduna State over the matter is unacceptable, as the Presidency knows that the people of the affected area had already protested against the governor’s biased handling of the continuous killings.

Asake argued that continuous killings have shown that the Governor of Kaduna State lacks the will power, to arrest the situation and bring it under effective control, adding that common sense tells anyone that at that instance, the President ought to have directly wade in because lives were involved.

He said: “We know that southern Kaduna has been under 24-hour curfew daily as directed by the governor, yet the enemies of the people are still prowling, going from house to house killing defenseless people without government protection.

“The security operatives in the area appear to be turning blind eyes to the killings. They only rush to troubled spots after the perpetrators of the evils had performed their enterprise of killings and destruction of houses and farmlands.”

While accusing the security agencies of negligence towards the happenings in Southern Kaduna, Asake called for a review of the leadership of security institutions, both at the national and state levels, to ensure a balance of Muslim and Christian representation.

He noted that such balance would build trust and confidence among all citizens of Nigeria in the
security empowered to protect our nation.

The CAN scribe recalled that the church in Nigeria since 2009 has been subjected to a systemic genocide and persecution through the instrumentality of Islamic fundamentalists Boko Haram, leading to the killing of thousands of Christians and destruction of hundreds of churches.

He observed that the current destruction of churches, and over 50,000 houses and the current unprecedented onslaught against Christians in southern Kaduna by Islamic fundamentalists disguising as Fulani herdsmen, under the watch of Governor Nasir El-Rufai and President Muhammadu Buhari, has reached an alarming stage.

“While we commend Buhari for waging war against Boko Haram fundamentalists since his assumption of office, CAN has previously drawn attention to the imbalance in the appointments made in our security.

“We implore the state and federal governments to increase their efforts in putting an end to these killings and as well ensure that those behind the killings are brought to book under the laws of our land and those affected to be compensated,” he added.

He implored all Christians to use the national day of mourning to pray fervently for their southern Kaduna brothers and sisters who are victims of the wanton killings and also for the peace of Nigeria.

Asake enjoined that all celebrations or merriments associated with the New Year are to be done low- key in solidarity with the southern Kaduna brethren who had lost their lives and who have been denied the privilege of celebrating the Yuletide, saying an injustice to one is an injustice to all.