The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the federal government to halt the alleged planned attacks to be unleashed on Southern Kaduna and other areas dominated by Christians in some states of the Middle Belt region.
The special assistant, Media and Communications, to the CAN President, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji yesterday, said the association has been informed that some of these planned attacks are targeted at Southern Kaduna Chiefdoms and towns that include Gumel, Dagwarga, Daddu, Mariri, Kagoro, hotels, Open University and other soft targets, among others.
Oladeji said while they are prone to dismiss these planned attacks as products of figments of imagination, the association is, however, constrained to call the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari and other security agencies to be aware and take precautionary measures.
The statement reads in part: ‘’Having witnessed unprecedented human carnage on the Plateau, we call on President Buhari to place the security agencies on red alert in order to avoid a similar recurrence.
‘’While we are happy at the statement credited to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that perpetrators of the Plateau carnage would not be allowed to escape justice, we are quick to remind and appeal to the federal government to, at least, stand by its promise to ensure that these blood-thirsty herdsmen are brought to book to face the full wrath of the law.
‘’As the umbrella organisation for all Christians in Nigeria, we are at pains at the tragedy that has befallen our members.
We mourn the death of over 200 Christians slaughtered on the Plateau at the weekend and we passionately appeal to the Buhari-led administration to rise up and put a stop to further killings of innocent people, including defenceless women and children.’’
He also said that following the killings that took place on the Plateau, the association has obtained reliable information on the number of dead recorded in Barkin Ladi and Riyom LGAs from 23 to Monday 25 June, 2018.
The CAN spokesman, however, called on all security agencies to wake up to their constitutional responsibilities of protecting lives and property. ‘’We urge them to be pro-active in doing their jobs.
Mobilising troops and policemen after the havoc has been done do not make sense. A government that cannot protect the citizens is a failed government,’’ he added. (Leadership)