CAN, Adeboye protest against rising insecurity, killings

…Urge FG to overhaul security apparatus

…Hold protest in Lagos, Ekiti, Benue FCT

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Sunday held protests in the Federal Capital Territory and other parts of the country to draw Federal Government’s attention to the rising spate of killings across the nation.

Similarly, thousands of members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) across the country on Sunday protested the killings of Christians in the north as well as worsening insecurity.

In Abuja, CAN President, Samson Ayokunle, lamented that the (in) actions by the Federal Government had given such criminals the freedom to carry on with their criminal activities unchallenged.

He also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to overhaul the security apparatus in the country to curb the killings.

“Government should order the arrest of the leadership of the Miyetti Allah for sponsoring and perpetuating crime of Nigeria and prosecute them for all the killings in Southern Kaduna, Benue, Plateau and Taraba states, among others.

On his part, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), North Central, Rev. Israel Akanji, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja on the issue, said President Muhammadu Buhari should change his approach to security.

Akanji said sacking the Service Chiefs was not the solution to the insecurity in the country, adding that he has confidence in the nation’s security operatives.

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He said: “I believe that if the tone of the command changes, I tell you the truth we will have victory. I am one person that has confidence in the Nigerian security system.

“These are people that are heroes, they have gone to other parts of the world to solve problems. They have fought in many countries.

“But for them to now be incapacitated in their own country then it must be that they are not hearing the same kind of command. My own feeling is that the command should change.

‘’I have belief in President Muhammadu Buhari that no country in Africa can defeat Nigeria. To me if Buhari says these killings should stop, it will stop. I feel that he has to change his approach’’.

In Ekiti State, CAN members during the peaceful protest in Ado-Ekiti, condemned killings of helpless Nigerians especially the gruesome murder of Revd Lawan Andimi the Michika local government chairman in Adamawa State.

The Christian body comprising of different denomination carried several placards with different inscriptions such as “Stop killings,” “We must unite against killings in Nigeria,” Christian demands justice,” All Christians are created equally, “It is inhuman don’t take life,” “Citizens must be protected from killers,” and “We Christians are the main victims” among others.

Addressing his members, the state CAN Chairman, Revd Fr. Peter Olowolafe, cited several killings in the country in recent time to include the murder of Revd Denis Bagauri in his house at Mayo Belwa of Adamawa State.

In their unanimous decision, the Christian body condemned the recent killings in some parts of the country and admonished the Federal Government and the security operatives in the country to redouble their efforts and bring the situation under control.

The Ekiti Christian body helmsman called on the Federal Government to redouble its efforts at making peace to reign in the country.

Also in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, the Christian body during the protest said that Christians have lost confidence in the government of President Muhammadu following the massive killings across the country.

The state chairman of CAN, Revd. Akpen Leva, stated that killings of Nigerians especially Christians like the seminarians, pastors and other clerics without protection was a clear indication that the Buhari regime had lost control in steering the affairs of the country.

“I, therefore, call for no more killings, kidnappings, robbery and herdsmen attack in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna and other part of the country. What a nation! They are killing us every day. It is a failure. We are tired. Mr. President, security agencies must sit up. May God help us”.

Reverend Leva while calling on President Buhari to sit up on his responsibility of protecting lives and property of the citizenry, also called on International community to come to the aid of Nigerians even as he urged for security to enable the IDPs to return to their ancestral homes.

Meanwhile, the General Overseer RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, led the March protest/prayer walk for 2km at the National Headquarters of the church in Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

Adeboye, who led the exercise that lasted for 15 minutes, carried a placard with the inscription: “All souls are precious to God”.

He said: “There are some things the government can do alone and there are others that they cannot do alone that is why we have to pray for the country that God should have mercy on Nigeria.

“We pray that that there will be peace and security in Nigeria. God sees all things and knows where the terrorists are. We pray that God sends His light to Nigeria and expose the evildoers in the country. That God should uproot all their sponsors.”

The Assistant General Overseer, Personnel and Administration of RCCG, Pastor Johnson Odesola, said the “church is part and parcel of CAN, we are not an isolated church. This morning we are doing the prayer walk to pray for the state of the nation, which everybody have been commenting on and has called for concern and we believe that God has the solution to the multi-demensional problems we are faced with as a country”.

In Abuja, the protests were held by numerous parishes of the RCCG as directed by Pastor Adeboye.

The prayer walk was organised by the Everlasting Arms Parish, Garki, a zonal parish of the RCCG.

The pastor in-charge, Evaristus Azodoh, had earlier held intense prayer sessions with the congregation over the insecurity ravaging the country. After the church service, he then led the zone, comprising of many other parishes for a prayer walk along streets of Garki.

The protest, held under the watchful eyes of security personnel, was peaceful as the congregation carried placards decrying the worsening insecurity in the country. They also sang worship songs and prayed as they marched round the streets.