By Pastor Adebayo Adedeji, Special Assistant (Media&Communications) to the CAN President, His Eminence, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle.
The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the both the Federal and the Kaduna state government to rise up to the challenge of checkmating past killings in the state with a view to bringing masterminds to book.
CAN noted with shock, disappointment and sadness the two weeks of tragedy and disaster that had led to the killing of a paramount ruler, the Agom Adara, Dr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima that forced the State Government to reinstate a 24-hour curfew last Friday in Kaduna metropolis and environs, Kasuwan Magani, Kajuru, Kateri and Kachia.
The Agom Adara was attacked and kidnapped on Friday, 19th of October, 2018, along with his wife who was released the next day. His Police escort, driver and three others were not lucky as they were killed at the scene of the abduction carried out by no fewer than a dozen of bandits.
Although it is believed that no fewer than 100 lives have been killed between last week Thursday and last Monday, but the Police and the State Emergency Management Agency have reportedly put the number of the death at 78.
CAN commiserates with the government and the people of Kaduna State, especially the Adara Chiefdom over the tragedy and pray to God to comfort all the bereaved and heal those who are recuperating in the hospitals and homes.
CAN is surprised to note the unending killings in the country, especially the response of the Federal and State governments with the security agencies to the menace.
LWe have it on a good authority the killings going on in Adamawa, Benue and Plateau states in the last two years have been going unchecked as if nothing unusual is happening? Many were even unreported. This is a sad commentary on the part of the government. Has Nigeria become a lawless state? Are those hoodlums better equipped and more organised by our security agencies? Are the security opetatives compromised? This is reprehensible.
We ask the political class to stop politicising the orgy of killings and for both state and Federal Governments to stop rationalising the mass killings of innocent Nigerians and sanction those responsible for this horrifying bloodshed.
While commending the state government for reviewing the curfew this Sunday afternoon for people to access food and other items, we once again reiterate our calling for the following:
1. A total overhauling of our security agencies with a view to replacing all the security chiefs.
2. Implementation of all the White papers on ethno-religious uprisings in the recent past.
3. Immediate trials of those apprehended for the killings in Southern Kaduna two years ago.
4. Prosecution of those responsible for the unending killings in the Northcentral zone.
5. Governments should stop handling the killers in our midst with kids gloves.
6. Payment of adequate compensations to all the bereaved and victims of the ethno-religious conflicts in the last five years.
7. Government should recover all the lands and villages illegally occupied by the hoodlums and criminals in the North Central.
As we approach another general election, all hands must be on deck to restore peace and sanity to all the trouble spots in the country. Enough is enough!