CAN President accuses FG of bias in tackling security issues

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Samson Ayokunle has faulted the federal government’s approach at tackling security crisis in the country saying that the action of President Muhammadu Buhari led government is bias and unjust to the Christians in the country.

Rev. Ayokunle who doubles as the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, said this on Friday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the 104th Annual Session of the Church’s Convention taking place at the National Stadium Abuja.

He frowned at the prompt and decisive action taken by the government on the recent communal clash between Hausa Community in Ile Ife and some locals which led to arrest of many suspects from Ile Ife but failed to take quick action on the recurrent attacks in southern Kaduna.

Ayokunle said “Nigeria belongs to all of us, and government must be fair in its dealings with citizens. If continuous killings have not been happening, we would not have been shouting wolf where there was none.

We appeal to the government to desist from giving excuses anymore why the killings are still occurring, we want an end to be put to the killings henceforth. Enough is enough.”

He added: “Just few days ago, news broke again that some Fulani herdsmen allegedly hacked another 13 people to death in Southern Kaduna. The government appeared not to have been in control of this situation yet. I pray that it will not get out of hands.”

“Nigerians need not to continue to lose their lives like this where we have a government in place with all the tools to provide security.

Late last year, government announced that it was establishing a military battalion in addition to a squadron of Nobile Police just to curb this menace.”

“It is therefore, a wonder that innocent lives are still being lost despite these efforts. It was gratifying to note the swiftness with which the police apprehended suspects in the Ile Ife communal clash.

It is however, a wonder that since Fulani herdsmen have been killing farmers from every corner of the country, neither the police nor the security agencies have been able to be as prompt in making arrest and seeing prosecution through as shown in the case of Ile Ife.”

We support fight against corruption. The position of the church is that we stand against corruption. He however commended the government in its fight against corruption in the country.

The CAN President urged the government to be broad minded in its fight against corruption saying “corruption is everywhere, in the executive, legislature and the judiciary.”

Ayokunle, called on the government to urgently do something to bring to an end the incessant killings and destruction of property in the country especially in Southern Kaduna.

Meanwhile, the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention Rev. Olasupo Ayokunle said that the convention which holds from Saturday April 22 to 27, 2017, started its mission in Nigeria in 1850 through the Southern Baptist Convention of USA missionary, Thomas Jefferson Bowen in Ijaye Orile near Ibadan, Oyo State.

According to him, the convention is self-supporting with the firm belief that there should be separation of the Church and state in terms of mutual independence of both without one encroaching on the operations of the other but rather promoting a robust co-existence and interaction for the germaine growth of the society.