Catholic archbishop condemns attacks on Christians

CATHOLIC Archbishop of Lagos, Most Reverend Alfred Adewale Martins, has condemned attacks on Christians, especially in the North.

He made this assertion while addressing journalists on the state of the nation as part of activities to mark his fourth anniversary as the Archbishop of Lagos, held at  Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos State.

According to the cleric, the attacks on Christians, especially in the North, should stop and Christians allowed  to worship their creator in the way they deemed fit as far as they do not  infringe  on the right of  freedom of worship of others.

He condemned the continued attacks on churches, stating that it was unjustifiable and unacceptable in a country that was supposed to promote religious tolerance.

He advised Christians to be conscious and vigilant of their environments.

For political office holders, Archbishop Martins called for a review of their “bloated  salaries,  allowances, excessive expenses  and pensions because a large portion of our budget is spent by the president, vice-president, governors, senators, House of Representatives members, ministers, among others.”

He called on political office holders to consider the plight of workers as many were hungry.

“The church is feeling the heat as members now come to the church to beg for support. If those in power reduce excessive spending,  this will go a long way in helping the conditions of the suffering workers. They must, as a matter of urgency, make this sacrifice so that the nation can move ahead. This will also reflect positively on the  state of the economy.”

On the issue of recent federal appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari, Martins said that “the recent appointments made so far by the present administration leaves much to be desired. A situation where a good number of major appointments favour a particular section of the country gives one the impression that there are no competent hands in other parts of the country.”