CAN Calls For Nationwide Protest Against Herdsmen Killings

The Christian Association of Nigeria, has called for a nationwide
protest against killings and bloodshed in the country.
The CAN President, Rev. Olasupo Ayokunle, in a statement on
Wednesday urged Christians to hold peaceful protests within their
church premises on Sunday April 29, 2018.
He made the call against the backdrop of the Tuesday killing of two
priests and 17 worshippers at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Mbalom,
Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State.
He said, “CAN urges Christians in Nigeria to hold peaceful protest on
the set aside date, in the premises of their churches asking the
Federal Government and the security agencies to stop the unending
killings and bloodshed in the country.
“Christians are to carry placards with inscriptions meant to address
issues about sustained killings, attacks and destruction of their
property in Nigeria.
“The inscriptions on placards could read, ‘Enough of bloodshed in
Nigeria,’ ‘Enough of unlawful killings in the country’, ‘FG, Release Leah
Sharibu from the bondage,’ ‘FG, Stop Herdsmen Killings,’ CAN rejects
FG’s poor handling of insecurity.’”
The cleric admonished the government to perform its constitutional
responsibility of protecting the citizens, noting that no excuse is
tenable for the bloodshed, stressing that the perpetrators must be
brought to book.
“CAN seizes this medium to appeal to the government of President
Muhammadu Buhari to mount different effective plans aimed towards
disarming herdsmen across the northern states and in communities
where they have been wreaking havoc across the country in national
interest,” the statement added.
It attributed the continued killings to the failure of the government to
mount an effective campaign against the attacks, killings by the
herdsmen, noting that there was equally no visible plan to pacify the
aggrieved.
“The Association also calls on the heads of the security agencies to
wake up to their constitutional role of protecting lives and property
across the federation while preventing Nigeria from descending into
chaos and lawlessness, “ the CAN President said.
He reminded Christians to pray for bereaved families of those
attacked by the Boko Haram terrorists, armed herdsmen, and other
criminals in the past couple of months across the country.
“CAN reminds Christians across the federation the importance of the
forthcoming general elections and the need for them to fully
participate this time, by trooping to obtain their voter cards with
which to play a role in the emergence of new set of political leaders
who could guarantee their security and safety,” the group advised.