The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has on Thursday kicked in what it described as the toughest stance to make since the assumption of President Buhari into the office in 2015. While conducting what was tagged, a World Press Conference, Reverand Samson Anyokule, the Nigerian CAN president cried out that Nigerian Christians was under siege.
Recall President Buhari reaction to ISWAP assassination of pastor Lawan Andimi, a district CAN chairman of Michika Local Government Area in Adamawa State, in a statement through his spokesperson, Buhari described the action of ISWAP as gruesome and cruel and delibratly provocative.
Buhari express regret over the incident, while promising the insurgents will pay dearly for their crime for killing the religious leader though expressed willingness to set him free by releasing him to the third party. In its reaction, the CAN leadership kicked against Buhari promises of bringing the end of the carnage to a halt, CAN said they were tired of the empty promises from Mr President which out meaningful impact.
Pastor Andimi was abducted by the insurgents when they attacked Michika on January 3rd, 2020 and later killed him while rejecting a ransom. Shortly after the attack, the pastor was declared missing by his family until he later appeared in a video of Boko Haram pleading with the larger society to secure his release.
During the meeting, the CAN president throws some question to president Buhari as follows; “What is the essence of SIM card registration if the authorities cannot use it to track down these killers who rely on phones as a mean of communications to do their criminalities?
“What has become of Intelligence gathering of our security agencies? Is this government and the security agencies still claiming that the war against these criminals been won despite all the killings? Is the government sincere in fighting these terrorists or merely paying lip service to the war against the insurgency?
“Is there any hope that our security is guaranteed under this government? Can the government tell us what they did since Rev. Andimì cried out to them for help? The CAN leader further queried the claim by the security agencies that the criminals are operating outside the country, and then kicked on how do they then invade and get away with it while leaving scored killed behind and abducting some.
CAN demanded that the government should stop leaving in denial and face the reality otherwise these criminals will continue maims and kill at will. CAN further make ten demands to Buhari and urged him to take immediate action. The group call on Mr President to overhaul the Security Council with the view of bringing new ideas onto the table through guaranteeing that no religion or region is relegated.
It also demanded that the presidency should either label the Miyetti Allah Fulani Association a terrorist organisation as being regarded in the terror index.
“The Federal Government should order the arrest of the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Groups in who are sponsoring and perpertuating the crime of Nigeria and prosecute them for all the killings in Southern Kaduna, Benue, Plateau and Taraba States, among others.
“The Federal Government should publish names of all kingpins of the terrorists who are in detention and those who are being prosecuted.
“The Federal Government should stop releasing the so-called repented terrorists since they are reportedly joining their colleagues in the forest to unleash terror on the land.
“The Federal Government should stop discriminating against our female Youth corps who refuses to wear the NYSC trousers for religious reasons since they allow their Muslim counterparts to wear hijab and others.