Dr Ayokunle, CAN President
...There’s a
siege on Christians in Nigeria
...asks security agencies to wake up to their responsibilities
The Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN) Thursday
described the visit of the United States (US) Secretary of States, Mr John
Kerry to Nigeria as discriminatory, personal and divisive, aimed at encouraging
the ongoing persecuting of Christians in the country.
While in the country, Kerry had visited only the
Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, met with the 19 northern governors that
has three Christians as members.
Kerry at the Presidential Villa was hosted by
President Muhammadu Buhari and met with select northern governors, which also attracts
criticism from a large section of the public for being discriminatory.
In a swift reaction to the historical event, the
CAN President, Rev. Dr, Olasupo Ayokunle condemned Kerry action in strong terms
for lack of respect to the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria, while openly
favouring northern Nigeria and Muslims to the detriment of the Christians and
the Southern part of the country.
Ayokunle noted that the attitude and disposition
of Kerry and the discrimination he adopted during the visit supports accusations
that the President Barack Obama’s administration, Kerry and other strategic US
politicians in the Obama’s government openly supported the All Progressives
Congress (APC) in the 2015 general elections, which produced the current
leadership of the country.
He told Kerry to “stop interfering
in Nigerian affairs” even as he went further to argue that the visit was a complete
flop because it shows Kerry’s shallow knowledge of Nigeria’s unity in diversity
ideology which has been sustaining her against all the odds that could have
remove it from existence.
“Why did he meet with 19 states governors,
without southern governors, is Nigeria the north alone, why did you go to the
north alone?”, the CAN President queried.
According to the Baptist cleric, “There’s a
siege on Christians. Kerry, his actions speak volume, his actions, body
language were very divisive.
“If US Secretary of States was coming for a
private visit, it’s understandable, but we demand explanation why he was
selective. Has the Sultan Palace become another State House? Was Kerry invited
by the Sultan?
“We have 36 States in Nigeria; he only selected
northern governors to meet with them. It was a visit to the north, not to
Nigeria. It was surely a very divisive visit. With the visit to the north,
Kerry’s visit has heightened fear and tension among Christians in Nigeria, if
they cannot bring us together, they should not interfere in our affairs”
Speaking further, the CAN president condemned
the selective persecution of Christians mostly by the Department of State
Service (DSS) and the Nigerian Police and said the action shows that the
administration was anti-Christians.
His words: “Have the DSS arrested
the Muslim youths who burnt down a Catholic Church in Niger State because they
were worshiping on Friday? What happened to the ECWA Pastor who was killed in
his farm in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State? What have happened
with Redeemed preacher who was murdered in Kubwa, Abuja?
“Look at the recent case in Zamfara State,
Christians where burnt alive. What has happened? They will tell you, they are
still investigating. Have they been arrested and charged them to court? If the
government cannot sit up and protect Christians, tolerance is going to break
down, they should do the right thing, they should not provoke Christians. Have
we ever seen this government bring anybody to book?”
The CAN president tasked President Buhari “to
come out clean”, adding that, “a government that doesn’t listen is not for the
people.”
Ayokunle maintained that while the DSS and the
Police have been slow in arresting extremists killing Christians in the
country, they have been fast persecuting Christians.
He then called on the leadership
of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to as a matter of urgency intervene in
the case of Mr Joe Chinakwe who was arrested for naming his dog ‘Buhari’. He
argued that, naming an animal with somebody’s name is never a criminal offence
anywhere in the world.
“The NBA should take up
that case and ascertain whether the man has the right to give any name to a
dog. They should come and protect the man’s human rights and set the record why
the case is not a criminal offence.”
Ayokunle throws his weight
behind the Northern CAN leaders holding today in Maiduguri and was optimistic that
the church in Nigeria will survive the on-going persecution.
“I am in full support of
the meeting holding tomorrow (today) in Maiduguri by the Northern CAN Leaders.
The National CAN is in support of that meeting. We are together and those who
are killing our members will be exposed and disgraced by our God. CAN is
against the killings of our members, we are against their persecutions and
every discriminatory policy of this government in strong terms.”
He tasks the security
agencies to wake up to the challenges since “Nigeria is not an Islamic state
where the rights and the safety of non-Muslims are not guaranteed.”
Signed
PASTOR ADEBAYO OLADEJI
Media Assistant to the CAN
PRESIDENT
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