The National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) has urged Christians and traditional rulers to defend themselves against the invasion of Boko Haram.
This is just as the NCEF expressed worry over the rising insecurity across the country, and advised regions to adopt the South West Amotekun model to defend their regions.
This is contained in a communique issued at the of the meeting of the NCEF held in Lagos.
The NCEF is the communique issued by its Chairman, Solomon Asemota expressed concern at the insecurity and atmosphere of uncertainty in Nigeria.
“NCEF calls on the Traditional Rulers of the indigenous tribes to rally round and defend their people and their ancestral lands. The real owners of Nigeria are the indigenous ethnic nationalities represented by the Traditional Rulers and leaders.
“The Traditional Rulers of the indigenous tribes of the North and South should unite to ward off Islamism – Boko Haram.
“NCEF supports the model of “Amotekun” in its original conception – State Police and encourages other parts of the country to emulate it to enhance security of lives and properties.
“NCEF further encourages the Yoruba race not to limit its intervention to Oduduwa land but to think of the entire Black race of Nigeria and Africa”, the Communique stated.The Christian elders, however, appealed to Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo and Theophilus Danjuma to set aside their differences and embark on joint intervention for Nigerian Christians.
“The Christian Elders appealed to General Gowon, General Obasanjo, and General Danjuma, as the most prominent Christian leaders in the country’s Military history, to put aside personal differences and embark on joint intervention for Christians and Nigeria.
“NCEF express its gratitude to General Danjuma for warning all Nigerians to take their destinies in their hands, General Obasanjo for drawing the attention of Nigerians to the Fulanization policy of the present administration and General Gowon for lending his support to the restructuring of Nigeria.
“The NCEF has no doubt that all three working together, Nigeria should be able to overcome the breakdown of security in the country”, the elders said.
The NCEF called on Christians to support persecuted Christians in the North and Middle Belt. The Christian elders also backed the relief support for for persecuted Christians.
“NCEF enjoins all Christians to support the persecuted Christians in the North and Middle Belt. It is both Christian duty and strategic response to reinforce Christians in the North.
“The Christian Elders endorsed the relief support to persecuted Christians under Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) tagged “CRY OF MARTYRS” and sought for more support from Christians so that it can do lot more to alleviate the plight of internally displaced Christians (IDPs) in refugee camps.
“Christians must unite, become active, and devise means to protect and defend themselves. Self-defense is legal security and it is not on the Executive List of the Federal Government as claimed by some Negroid Nigerians. Consequently, the Church must resolve its leadership crisis to provide the necessary synergy for unity”, the communique noted.
“Funding for the advocacy of NCEF has been a major challenge. If effective advocacy is desired by Christians, the process has to be adequately funded. Christians are encouraged to support the NCEF so that timely and relevant interventions can be implemented because without funding, no concrete action can be put in place.
“NCEF expressed grave concern at the insecurity and atmosphere of uncertainty in the country. The threats became worse because Christians have not been properly synergized in recent years and are unable to confront Islamism in unity.
“The Christian Elders decried the unresolved issues in CAN which has hindered Christians from working as one. NCEF could not understand why a straightforward issue could not be handled by Church Leaders with truth and righteousness of God”, the Communique added.
and then