CAN expresses shock over Buhari’s comment on Boko Haram killings

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said it was shocked over the claim of President Muhammadu Buhari that 90 per cent of those killed by Boko Haram were Muslims.

CAN, while challenging Buhari to produce evidence to back his claim, reminded the President that when Boko Haram started, it targeted mainly churches and Christian communities in the north.

CAN reacting through the Special Assistant (Media and Communication) to the CAN President, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, said the Boko Haram leaders from inception had made their motive known, which is to attack Christians.

“We are shocked but not surprised that President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly claimed that Boko Haram was not primarily targeting Christians as Muslims form about 90 per cent of its victims.

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“We have been hearing such claims, now that Mr President has joined the camp came not as a surprise but we are shocked and disappointed. Those who are making that school of thought are revisionists who are trying in vain to dismiss the Christian persecutions in the country.

“The Boko Haram terrorists did not mince words on their goal, to make Nigeria an Islamic State and God will not allow that to become a reality.

“If you have those who claim that terrorists had killed more Muslims than Christians to produce evidence, they would say terrorists had attacked some markets in Maiduguri and over 90 per cent of those in the market were Muslims! We dare the government to list names of all the communities that the terrorists are attacking in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States and let us see how many of them were predominantly Muslim or Christian.

“When the terrorists first began, they were bombing churches not mosques, the records are there. And their spokesman has been consistently saying their targets remain Christians and any Muslims that stand on their way.

“In December, somewhere in Borno State when they stopped a bus, they reportedly asked Christians to be on one side and Muslims to be on the other side. 10 were Christians while two were Muslims. They killed the 10 Christians and one Muslim who was trying to escape. They also killed a young lady who was a bride to be, same day. Let them produce the footage of Muslims that have been slaughtered just like we have those of the Christians.”

The Christian apex body also pointed out killings by terrorists which occurred on Christian dominated areas in Kaduna, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa and other states.

“We are waiting for when they will tell us that 90 per cent of those who were killed by the Fulani terrorists in Southern Kaduna, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa and Enugu states were Muslims. The bereaved know those who killed their loved ones, let those who are living in denial continue,” CAN said.

“The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been consistently calling on the President to break the monopoly of the heads of all the security agencies by a faith. Let those who are presiding over the security agencies be 50:50 Muslims and Christians.

“Why does the government make all the heads of SSS, DIA, NIA, Air Force, Army and the Police who are prosecuting the insurgency Muslims? Let the government overhaul the security architecture and see the war taking a new dimension.

“We all know that the only reason why Leah Sharibu was not released with her schoolmates was purely because she refuses to renounce her faith and the only reason why Rev Andimi was killed was because he was a Christian.

“The History is there to tell the truth at the fullness of time,” CAN added.