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Gilbert Ekezie
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the Federal Government to deploy all necessary resources at its disposal to ensure that Christians in the captivity of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists are released without further delay.
President of the association, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, made the call in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji in Abuja.
Among other victims in the captivity of the insurgents, Ayokunle lamented the abduction of Rev Lawan Andimi in Michika, Adamawa State, during the recent invasion of the predominant Christian community.
The statement read in part: “As if that was not enough, there was a bandit attack on Kasaya village, another Christian community in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State recently where 41 people, including a pastor, Rev Joshua Samaila, were abducted. Uptil now, nobody knows what is happening to them.”
According to him, these incidents corroborate the position of the United States government on Christian persecution in Nigeria, saying, “If criminals are invading the Christian communities, killing and abducting unchallenged, what do we call it if it is not persecution?
“How many terrorists, Fulani herdsmen, killers and bandits are in the custody of the security agencies? How many of them have been arraigned in court,” he queried.
He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to secure the safe release of those held hostage by the terrorists. “We also call on the United Nations, the US, the UK and other developed countries to assist our government in securing our lives before it is too late. They should help our security agencies to live up to expectation before the situation gets out of hand, by stopping the killings and abductions done with impunity,” he said.
