President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr Olasupo Ayokunle, has said the body will not keep quiet against the killings of Christians in the country until such wicked acts stop.
According to him, the Federal Government needs to rise up to its responsibility of providing adequate security to tackle the spate of insecurity in the country.
Ayokunle spoke at the 12th annual lecture and awards of the Bible Society of Nigeria in Lagos.
He said but for the sustained pressure of the association on government, recent moves by the state to address insecurity would have not been made possible.
He said, “The government must rise up to its responsibilities. All our money is with the government, the entire commonwealth of the nation. So they have the duty to make sure that they provide security. I will not keep quiet until I see that this is done.
“To overcome insurgency, there is the need for the words of God to be in the hand of every Nigerian. The fact that not everybody has the knowledge of God is the reason the country is battling with insurgency.”
He said if the youth were equipped with the word of God, it would minister to their hearts.
Speaking on the topic, ‘Curbing communal conflicts and terrorism for sustainable national growth and development’, guest speaker and chief executive officer, Halogen Group, Mr Wale Olaoye, said despite repeated commitments of successive governments to tackling the nation’s perennial development and security challenges, the country was appearing to be an unsustainable nation.
He said, “Sustainability suggests that, as a nation, we have the ability to exist and coexist despite conflict and terror.
“It demands of us to maintain change, a balanced environment, in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development and institutional change and future potential to meet our needs and aspirations.”
Olaoye said to attain those, the country would require the pursuit of a common ideal, as available resources must not be depleted faster than resources are naturally generated.
At the event, the BSN presented awards to the CAN president, founder, Centre for Value in Leadership, Prof Pat Utomi; Chairman, GTBank Plc, Mrs. Osaretin Demuren; and General Manager, Avein Offshore Limited, Joseph Duntoye.
…….More youths may join Boko Haram
The Christian Association of Nigeria has warned more youths “will be ready and willing to join Boko Haram in the future” if the government fails to tackle the security challenges facing the country.
The group cited the recent case of a National Youth Service Corps member abducted by Boko Haram said to have refused to return home after payment of a ransom for his release.
CAN’s National Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Kwamkur Samuel, was reacting to the arrest of a suspected suicide bomber at Living Faith Church in Kaduna.
Kwamkur wondered why the police were more concerned with the name of the suspected bomber than the crime he attempted to commit.
He said, “I am not surprised that Nigerians, especially the loudmouthed Islamic fundamentalists, are interested in knowing and spreading the faith of the suspect than the crime. Whether the man is Mohammed Sani or Nathaniel Samuel, Nigerians know the religion and tribal groups that are terrorising them, particularly the Christians.
“Many Christians have been abducted and converted by Islamic terrorists.
“Besides, some of us are convinced that if the government continues with the careless handling of the security situation in the country, I foresee that more youths will be ready and willing to join Boko Haram in the future.
“Most Nigerian youths now know that when you join Boko Haram and you are lucky not to be asked to detonate bombs, one is paid by them handsomely, when you are eventually arrested. The Federal Government will come to your help and provide a rehabilitation platform with the purpose of providing training and resources for you to start life afresh.
“If you are very lucky, the Federal Government will recruit you into the army. With the increasing unemployment level, which youth will not want to dare that?
“For the avoidance of doubt, we have reliable information that the suspect who has been confused about his real name is actually a psychiatric patient and was holding fireworks instead of a bomb. God chose to expose those supporting terrorism in Nigeria by this singular act.
“If you want to know those who are directly or indirectly supporting terrorism in Nigeria, look out for those who are projecting the faith of the suspect on the matter and have not been heard at any point condemning the act of terrorism in most parts of Nigeria.
“You will find out that they didn’t sympathise with Christians and the family of those beheaded recently by Boko Haram. Like we have said, it is an act of irresponsibility for any government or Nigerian leader to spend time fighting those lamenting the act of insecurity instead of proffering solutions, preaching to the international community against the cry of citizens instead of telling them what they have done and comparing how many people were killed between the former and present regime.
“Let the President Buhari take seriously his responsibility of protecting Nigerians by providing the needed welfare to the security personnel on duty and overhauling the security chiefs.”
Copyright PUNCH.
PUNCH
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