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Paulinus Aidoghie, Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Fred Ezeh, Abuja, Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri and Billy Graham Abel, Yola
The execution of Rev. Lawan Andimi, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Michika Local Government Area, Adamawa State, by Boko Haram terrorists in cold blood, has sparked outrage across the country.
Andimi, who hailed from Kwada village, Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, and worked as a pastor in Michika, was abducted early January when Boko Haram attacked Michika.
Days after his abduction, he appeared in a video clip where he asked Ahmadu Fintiri, Governor of Adamawa State, to rescue him.
But the news of his death broke, yesterday. Reports indicated that Boko Haram turned down an offer of N50 million from negotiators before beheading him.
Chairman of the state chapter of CAN, Bishop Dami Mamza, said the insurgents demanded €2 million (about N800 million) for his freedom.
“We couldn’t afford that kind of money here. But that was not what led to his execution. I think they already had intentions to execute him. That was the plan, and nothing would have stopped that,” he said.
“They established contact with the church, and there was a conversation. And then they stopped and went ahead to kill him.
“They called his wife last week, informing her that they would be beheading him on Saturday but somehow they waited till Monday.
“Also, yesterday, Pastor Dennis Bagauri of the Lutheran Church was killed in Jereng, Mayo-Belwa, Adamawa State.
“It is now clear that Christians are not protected by the government; we don’t feel like we have a government.”
Following the gruesome murder of the district church council secretary of the Ecclesiya Yan’uwa a Nigeia (EYN) Church in Michika, CAN has alleged that it would be difficult to believe that Federal Government or its agents were not working with insurgents, secretly or otherwise, to exterminate Christians in Nigeria.
President Muhammadu Buahri described the killing as cruel, inhuman and provocative.
According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari expressed sorrow that the terrorists went on to kill the religious leader while giving signals at the same time of a willingness to set him free by releasing him to third parties.
He consoled the Christian community all over Nigeria, the government and people of Adamawa and the Bishop’s family over the sad loss of the man of God and assured that terrorists will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions and would comprehensively be defeated by our determined armed forces.
President urged nations of the world to end all support provided to Boko Haram and Islam in West Africa, ISWA terrorist groups whose only goal is to sow death, violence and destruction in the sub-region.
But the Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Kaigama, told Daily Sun that security situation in the country was getting worse.
The immediate past president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) recalled the recent attack on the convoy of the Emir of Potiskum that led to the killing and kidnapping of some of those in his entourage, maintaining that attacks by insurgents were not directed at Christians alone.
“So, I tell Nigerians, let us not try to isolate issues. Let’s not try to generate tension by saying okay, CAN chairman has been killed and that gives the impression that people of the other religion did this. It is creating more tension. Rather, let us worry that a Nigerian citizen has been killed. We should be concerned,” Kaigama said.
On his part, Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, said the security situation in the country showed that the nation was at war.
The former president of CAN said the development was sad.
“It is very sad! It shouldn’t be happening in a country. Obviously, nobody will be caught for this now. The people who are carrying out this terrible things, you can’t catch them. So, you can’t even say government’s agencies should fish out those responsible. It is like we are at war now,” Onaiyekan said.
Onaiyekan also said the government should by now know that killing a man like Andimi raises issues about the safety of Christians in the country.
Arguing that no one was safe in the country, including Muslims, Onaiyekan said Nigerians do not deserve such a country riddled with insecurity.
He re-echoed what the CBCN said last year that the first job of government is to protect lives and property, concluding that the Buhari administration is not protecting lives and property.
CAN claimed the consistent attacks on Christians and their communities, particularly in northern Nigeria, was a pointer that “enemies” have risen against Christians in Nigeria.
Director of Legal and Public Affairs, Kwamkur Samuel Vondip, in a statement released in Abuja yesterday, recalled that last Sunday, another clergyman, Rev. Dennis Bagauri, was murdered by gunmen in his residence at Mayo-Belwa.
“We are almost losing hope in government’s ability to protect Nigerians, especially Christians who have become endangered species under its watch. We strongly appeal to the international community and developed nations, notably the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Israel and others, to, please, come to our aid, especially Nigerian Christians, so we won’t be eliminated, one by one.”
CAN announced three days of fasting and prayers to seek God’s intervention in the affairs of Nigeria, particularly socio-economic and security matters.
On the state of security in the country, the Adamawa state CAN chairman said: “Right now, I am tense and every Christian in Adamawa is not feeling safe.
“How can the abduction and killing of two prominent Christians happen almost at the same time? On this Boko Haram insurgents, the Federal Government is not telling Nigerians the truth.
“We are still under siege, attacks are going on a consistent basis and the Federal Government cannot continue to tell Nigerians that everything is okay. But I will like to ask every Christian in Adamawa State to be consoled in the Lord, while we urge the Federal Government to secure the lives of Nigerians. But the way I feel right now is that we are not safe as Christians here in Adamawa State.”
The state government described the action of the terror group as barbaric.
Fintiri, while reacting to the killing of Bagaure, said the “evildoers will never have any resting place until they are caught.”
Director-General in charge of media and communication for the governor, Solomon Kumangar, said the government was “saddened by the gruesome execution of the pastor.”
Reacting, Osai Ojigho, director of Amnesty Internation (Nigeria), said the crimes committed by the insurgent must not go unpunished.
“Since December last year, Boko Haram has been escalating attacks on civilians, commuters, infrastructure and humanitarian facilities across North East.
“Amnesty International is appalled by reports that Reverend Lawan Andimi, the chairman of a local chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), was killed by Boko Haram yesterday.
“With this horrific murder and an increasing number of attacks in recent weeks, Boko Haram has again shown its brazen disregard for the sanctity of life. These deplorable crimes must not go unpunished.
“It is appalling that Boko Haram followed up the killing of Rev. Lawan Andimi on Monday with an attack on his village – in Chibok local government Borno state.”
