CAN chairman, elRufai in war of words over victims of banditry

By Idibia Gabriel

Kaduna State Governor, Mal Nasir El-Rufai has been accused of blackmailing Christian leaders on a television programme, when he accused them of lying about the figures they gave on the numbers of victims in the hands of bandits.

Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State chapter, Rev Joseph John Hayap who said this on Monday at the special prayer session held with hundreds of Christian leaders and worshippers, asked Governor el-Rufai to come out and tell the world where they lied and the number of victims in bandits captivity.

During the second resumed special prayer session, held Easter Monday, Christian leaders prayed for the release of all those in captivity of kidnappers, and sought God’s intervention in ending the regime of terrorism in Nigeria.

In his address, the State CAN Chairman, Rev Hayap blamed the continuous travail of victims in the armed bandits den on the many lies of government and the position of the state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

The State CAN Chairman, who spoke at the Albarka Fellowship Baptist Church, said that “el-Rufai’s has continued to speak from both sides of his month about paying armed bandits or not, at the risk of those victims who are still in the hands of the criminals.”

Rev. Hayab said: “the Governor has continued to speak from both sides of his mouth about the bandits.

At one time, he said that he negotiated with them and paid ransom. But, now he has changed his tune.

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He is saying that he will not negotiate with the criminals. Which one should we believe?”

Rev Hayap who spoke on the number of victims in captivity at last Sunday’s special prayer also repeated himself on Monday, alleging that government is just using propaganda and falsehood about the armed bandits “when our children, brothers and sisters are still with bandits.” Hayab said, “instead of facing the reality on ground, the governor is going about blackmailing us on television programme, saying that we are lying about the figures we gave on the number of victims in the hands of bandits.

“Let him come out and tell the world where we lied. Let him come and also tell the world the number of victims in kidnappers’ hands.”

Also in their prayers, the former President of HEAKAN Church, Dr. Emmanuel Zuga who spent 99 days at the hands of his abductors and released after the payment of ransom lamented over the handling of security challenges by the President Muhammadu Buhari led government and Governor El-Rufai. According to him, “the Bible says the people suffer affliction when bad leaders are there watching, we should cry out.

The evil that has befallen the church about kidnapping and killings is all over there for us to see,” saying that “we are praying against it that God should put it off.” “When the leaders of this country are there watching and doing nothing to end the reign of terror, God should guide them in the right path.

But, where they refuse, God should remove them,” he said. Dr zuga’s prayer for the removal was backed by other pastors present who preached during the special prayer session on Monday.