CAN Stages Protests in Nasarawa
Following the recent killing of scores of people in Nasarawa State, the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest and called on the Federal Government to restructure the security apparatus of the country.
The call was made by the Chairman of CAN Nasarawa State, Bishop J. G. Masin, while addressing journalists after the peaceful protest in Lafia, the state capital.
Masin said, “We are gathered here to protest and to show the whole world that Christians are being killed in Nigeria. Christians are being targeted and killed in Adamawa, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, and other states – because of our faith.
“Every time Christians are attacked we are told it is by unknown gunmen. Who are these unknown gunmen and who are their sponsors?” he asked.
According to him, “Recently, Tiv people were pursued from their homes with their properties burnt down and many of them were killed while thousands were rendered homeless.
“Soon we were told the killers are herdsmen. But let me ask; do cattle rearers look for grass with AK 47? No! The duty of any responsible government is to protect her people; but is there anyone protecting us today? No.!! If indeed there is no hidden agenda, why has the government failed to adequately protect us?”
He recalled that recently in Benue, two priests were killed in a Church along with many worshippers.
“If one may ask, does a Church look like a grazing Land? No.!! Then what are the killer herdsmen looking for in our Churches instead of the grass in the field?
“In our Nasarawa State many Churches have been burnt down including the Church at Apaa, and Agwatashi pendon. The perpetrators had a field day and no one was arrested.
“Why does the government seem to be religiously biased?” he further asked.
“This is a clear pointer that some people want to exterminate Christianity in Nigeria. As these killings go unhindered we feel that the government has a hidden agenda to wipe out Christianity”, he decried.
The Chairman however said, “The story of Miss Leah is still very fresh. She was abducted along with Moslem students at Dapchi; but has not been released because she is a Christian.
“He called on the government to release Leah soon to continue with her studies. We demand that the government must be seen to defend all Nigerians irrespective of our beliefs. We call on the government to restructure Security apparatus of this Nation before it is too late.”
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