Kaduna killings: Niger CAN calls on Buhari to act

The Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency,  to put an end to the unwarranted  killings in Southern Kaduna, saying that no prayer could be answered if innocent blood is being shed  across the country.

The state chairman of CAN, Reverend Mathias Echioda, made the call in Minna, last Sunday during the annual universal week of prayers for all Christians in the Nigeria, and for the peace and development of the country.

Reverend Echioda called on President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government  to improve in the area of security, so as to reduce the security challenges being faced by the country at the moment most especially the activities of herdsmenwhich had continued to wreck havocs on innocent citizens across the country.

The CAN chairman, who was represented by his deputy, Very Revd Father Godwin Bako, said the essence of the black costume worn by Christians across the state on the occasion was to identify with christians and other innocent Nigerians  who  had been killed in southern parts  of Kaduna.

According to him “we are praying for the government to act fast on our brethren who have been kidnapped,  savagely maimed and killed by insurgency in ravaged states, most recently the southern Kaduna christians.

“We  condemn in strong terms the unnecessary and wanton killing of our brethren in southern part of Kaduna. We know that the government is doing its best but it can do more because with what we have gathered, security agencies have been dispersed to these places yet, there were killings.

“We also know that on the eve of Christmas, we were reliably informed that military men were sent there but on that same night of 24th December, so many lives were lost. We are saying that the government both the federal and state, including individuals should be fully involved. We are saying  to unnecessary killings, “he maintained.

In his remarks, the Governor of Niger state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, charged christians and muslims alike in the state to unite against all forms of insecurity, highlighting  that, security agencies were already positioned in strategic parts of the state to  tackle any upsurge of violence.

The governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Jonathan Vatsa, noted that the government identified with the church and would do everything possible to protect the citizens of the state.

Accordingly, he said “the church needs to remember us as a government, continue to pray for the leadership of the state to succeed in whatever we do because our success lies in prayers.”

He also charged the people of the state, especially religious leaders to be security conscious and to report any suspicious person to the security men.